FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES HR and Labor Relations Summit February 21, TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY

Town of Longboat Key Fire Union Negotiations Lessons Learned Dave Bullock Town Manager 2 TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY

WHAT WERE MAJOR ISSUES IN NEGOTIATIONS? Pension PENSION 3 TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY

HOW BAD IS IT? Police Fire General Town contribution as a % of wages 80% 60% 40% Percent funded 45% 44% 53% Total unfunded liability is almost twice the Town’s annual operating budget. 4 TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY

TOWN COMMISSION OBJECTIVES Get Town out of the market risk position Stop the increase in unfunded liability Provide a fair and reasonable pension for employees Make Town expenditures predictable and affordable 5 TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY

EXECUTIVE SESSIONS PRODUCED: Agreement on maximum Town contribution Agreement on wage increase Agreement of Commission to use impasse to achieve goals if necessary Understanding of the time that the negotiations would take Agreement on Commission silence during negotiations 6 TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY

WHAT WAS FINAL PRODUCT? Agreement to freeze current pension plan Agreement to move employees to FRS Agreement to split cost of pension and cap Towns pension expenditures at 13% of salary Agreement for employees to contribute to cost of benefits Agreement that IAFF would not oppose in any way Town plans to get out of current Chapter 175 pension plan 7 TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY

KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS Manager and Commission have shared objectives Union believes the Manager and Commission have shared objectives Manager (or designee) and Union reps have the right set of negotiating skills Union believes they are better off with a negotiated contract than with impasse 8 TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY

KEYS TO UNSUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS Manager and Commission do not have shared objectives Union believes the Manager and Commission do not have shared objectives Manager (or designee) and Union reps do not have negotiating skills Union believes they are better off with impasse than with a negotiated contract 9 TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY

QUESTIONS?? 10 TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY

11

CONFIDENTIALITY The meeting and materials discussed in this meeting are confidential and not subject to the open meetings law or the public records law. “All discussions between the chief executive officer of the public employer, or his or her representative, and the legislative body of the public employer relative to collective bargaining shall be closed and exempt from the provisions of s **** All work products developed by the public employer in preparation for negotiations, and during negotiations, shall be confidential and exempt from provisions of s (1) See Section , Florida Statutes 12 TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY

THE BARGAINING PROCESS In conducting negotiations with the bargaining agent, the chief executive officer, or his or her representative, shall consult with, and attempt to represent the view of, the legislative body of the public employer.” See Section , Florida Statutes 13 TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY

THE BARGAINING PROCESS (CONTINUED) “If, after a reasonable period of negotiation… a dispute exists between a public employer and the bargaining agent, an impasse shall be deemed to have occurred when one of the parties so declares…” A special magistrate is then selected, follows a process, and makes a recommendation. 14 TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY

THE BARGAINING PROCESS (CONTINUED) If either the public employer or the employee organization does not accept, in whole or in part, the recommended decision of the special magistrate: - (a) The chief executive officer… shall… submit to the legislative body… recommendations for settling the disputed impasse issues… - (b) The legislative body… shall… conduct a public hearing… - (c) Thereafter, the legislative body shall take such action as it deems to be in the public interest. 15 TOWN OF LONGBOAT KEY