Committee moves IBEW bargaining agreement to May 5 after staff summary of changes

Councilwoman Buck introduced a resolution to authorize an agreement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). A staff member summarized the negotiated changes and said the prior contract expired Dec. 31, 2025; the new agreement would cover through Dec. 31, 2029.

According to the staff summary, most edits were administrative; key substantive changes highlighted in committee included a 3.25% annual wage increase each contract year, updates to language on union security to reflect current law, adjustments to overtime/management-rights language, an increase in employee health-care contributions in some respects, and an expanded residency radius for the bargaining unit from 5 miles to 13 miles from city hall. The staff also said health premium language was addressed and that some premium pay rules were updated.

Council members asked clarifying questions about which items would be handled by the pension board (a separate matter that staff said had been pulled from the committee agenda) and about the contract’s administrative provisions. The committee moved the resolution to the May 5 legislative agenda by voice vote; no roll-call tally appears in the committee transcript.

The summary in committee emphasized that the contract contains both housekeeping and substantive provisions and that detailed contract text is available on the agenda and city website for review prior to final action at the legislative meeting.