Negotiating Healthcare Benefits (2 hours)
As the cost of healthcare continues to rise, employers may attempt to offset these increases by reducing benefits, raising employee contributions or switching to more restrictive health plans. This workshop reviews other strategies available that may help departments maintain their existing level of insurance in a manner that benefits both the employees and management..
Fundamentals of Costing Contract Proposals (2 hours)
Wages represent a significant portion of contract negotiations, but to successfully negotiate improvements to compensation, affiliate leaders must thoroughly understand their contracts and the true economic cost of their current agreements. Before presenting management with proposed improvements at the negotiation table, affiliate leaders need to have a firm grasp of how the improvements they seek will impact the totality of a contract’s costs. This workshop will introduce students to the key concepts required to conduct a successful contract costing exercise and the fundamental processes of costing base salary, fringe benefits and proposed increases for a multi-year contract.
Negotiating Strategies for Tough Economic Times (2 hours)
We are a union regardless of the status of the economy. Therefore, when we are in tough economic times, we may adjust our mission but not change our vision to continually advance. These challenges may be in the form of decreased tax revenues, cuts in state aid to local government or cuts in other sources of revenue. The reductions in revenue that result in municipal budget cuts have affected IAFF locals by influencing wages, benefits or operational resources. This workshop will provide an understanding of how fiscal crises impact the negotiation process, as well as providing insight on how to address wages, benefits, working conditions and staffing issues in tough times. The workshop will specifically address the above outlined issues for locals with collective bargaining agreements or a formal negotiation process.
Managing Consultant Reports (2 hours)
It is important for affiliate leaders to know how to protect wages, benefits and working conditions for their members. While attacks on public sector unions continue to increase, jurisdictions are often relying on consultant reports to guide where cuts can be made. This workshop addresses how affiliate leaders can take preemptive action to mitigate consultant reports and how to address the negative impacts, specifically relating to consolidation, the creation of fire districts, PSOs and station closures..