Richmond City Council / News
Release
Richmond City Council, Mayor celebrate approval of first
Collective Bargaining Agreements
City of Richmond becomes southernmost locality in Virginia to commit to collective bargaining
Richmond,
Virginia (5.14.2024) - In a historic vote yesterday,
Richmond City Council voted to approve several collective bargaining agreements
between the City of Richmond and the International Association of Firefighters
(IAFF) 995, the Richmond Coalition of Police (RCOP), and the Service Employees
International Union (SEIU).
The City formally established five bargaining units in total:
1.
Police, represented by RCOP
2.
Fire and Emergency Services, represented by IAFF 995
3.
Administration and Technical, represented by SEIU
4.
Professional, represented by SEIU
5.
Labor and Trades, represented by The Teamsters.
The remaining two units, Professional and Labor and Trades, will
start negotiations in the coming weeks.
With this vote, the City of Richmond is now the southernmost
locality in Virginia to implement collective bargaining for City employees.
These agreements mark a significant milestone in the City's commitment to
fostering positive labor relations, recognizing the invaluable contributions of
city employees, and supporting the success of its employees. By elevating principles of cooperation, ethics, and
organizational excellence, the City of Richmond aims to become an employer of
choice, attracting and retaining top talent committed to serving the community.
Councilmember
Reva M. Trammell, who was the lead patron of the collective bargaining
ordinances on Richmond City Council, noted the importance of collective
bargaining. “The approval of these collective bargaining agreements
acknowledges the hard work and vital role that all City staff play in making
Richmond a safe and beautiful city,” said Councilmember Trammell, Richmond Southside
8th Voter District. “I have always been an advocate for our City
workers and this is an important step toward making sure they know we support
and value the work that they do every day.”
Council President Kristen M. Nye, who co-led the collective
bargaining efforts with Councilmember Trammell, expressed pride in the City’s
work toward collective bargaining. “I am so proud that the City of Richmond has
become a true leader in public sector collective bargaining in the
Commonwealth,” said President Nye, Councilmember, Richmond Southwest 4th
Voter District. “Collective bargaining is a major step forward for our City and,
most importantly, our most crucial asset – our City workers. I am so grateful
to my Council colleagues, City Administration, union leaders, and most of all,
our City workers for all coming together to make collective bargaining a
reality in Richmond.”
Mayor Stoney also celebrated City Council’s vote on these
agreements. “As one of the first local elected officials to advocate for the
Commonwealth of Virginia to give municipalities the authority to move forward
with collective bargaining in 2020, I am proud of how far we have come,” said
Mayor Levar Stoney. “I thank all members of City Council for moving these
important agreements forward. We are better today than we were eight years ago
– and I see that each and every day when I come to work with some of the best
and brightest public servants in the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
Over the next three years the City has agreed to commit:
·
$29.0 million for Fire, Emergency
Services, and Emergency Communications
·
$34.0 million for Police
·
$20.0 million for Administrative and
Technical Employees.
In the Fiscal Year 2025 budget, the following have been
allocated to support these bargaining agreements:
· $9.1 million dollars to raise pay for
our Police Officers, Fire Fighters, and Emergency Services employees. $3.0
million for our Administrative and Technical employees.
· $3.0 million to provide a 4.0 percent
salary increase to all other city employees, and an additional $2.0 million to
make targeted pay increases for positions making below the market rate identified
through the current class and compensation study.
Together, these strategies help us keep the talent we have,
attract the talent we need, and move us toward becoming an employer of choice.
The Richmond City Council and Mayor invite residents and
stakeholders to join in celebrating this historic achievement and looks forward
to continued collaboration with city employees to enhance the quality of life
for all members of the community.
To learn
more about the recently approved collective bargaining agreements, visit:
Contact
Steve Skinner,
Council Public Information Manager, Richmond City Council Office of Council
Chief of Staff; 804.64.6052 (tel); steven.skinner@rva.gov (email)
Website
https://www.rva.gov/richmond-city-council
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/RichmondCityCouncilVirginiaUSA
_____________________________________________________________________________
Richmond City
Council overview
Richmond City Council is the official governing
legislative institution of Richmond, Virginia and represents residents in
creating and amending local laws/ordinances, providing government policy and
oversight, and establishing an annual Richmond Government Budget.
- E
N D –
Richmond
City Council - Richmond City Hall - 900 East Broad Street, Suite 300 -
Richmond, Virginia 23219 U.S.A. - rva.gov/richmond-city-council (web)
