City, Employees Union Reach Three-Year Deal (Video: MY local gets praise on TV)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/40659517.html#

Video at link. The gentleman in the white shirt and dark tie is our President.

OS


Mayor Fahey and representatives of the 650 members of the Omaha City Employees Union announced a new deal Tuesday that calls for workers to pitch in on their health care and pension.

The union and city have been working on a contract for several months and both sides say the agreement is good for the employees and good for the taxpayers.

The people who keep the snow off of our streets, fill our pot holes and take care of our parks have a new contract with the city.

"I'd like to express we've always had a good working relationship with this staff and previous staffs and hope to have an good relationship with mayors of the future,” said Kevin Brown with City Employees Local 251.

Highlights of the deal include a 2.75 percent pay increase each year of the three-year contract. Employees will pay an additional one percent for their health insurance premium this year and see another one percent increase in 2011.

The union also agreed to a 4.5 percent combined increase in contributions to the civilian employees pension fund between 2009 and 2011.

Mayor Fahey says the deal helps close the gap within the civilian pension system. "The fund has assets totaling $206 million. Because of the economic downturn we lost about $74 million in 2008. This funding will make up two-thirds of the shortfall overall. This goes a long way to get the two ends to meet and to be fully funded once again."

The mayor still has to come to terms with the Omaha Police and Omaha Fire departments. He's hoping to make a deal and hopes the deal made with the city employees union sets an example.

"We have a much bigger gap to make up, but it is the spirit of cooperation that has been demonstrated by the civilians. We hope that transfers over to the police and fire."

Eighty-eight percent of the union approved the deal which now goes to the Omaha City Council for approval.

Also coming to terms Tuesday with the city were the 40 members of the city's Functional Employees Group, made up of clerical workers and those who handle government documents.