IAFF Collective Bargaining Agreement Passed

It was a busy night for the City Commission last night.

Two big topics were voted on at the meeting, then a crowd gathered around for the lighting of the tree.

The city commission unanimously passed Ponca’s unit of the International Association of Fire Fighters collective bargaining agreement.

Craig Stephenson said this agreement provides a 3.5 percent increase in salaries, a $300 signing bonus and eight vacation hours for Martin Luther King day.

" On the city side we got the Affordable Care Act compliance," Stephenson said. "They have their own health insurance and as an employer we are responsible for making sure that health plan is in compliance with the Affordable Healthcare Act. We wanted to make that provision that they would make those assurances in their collective bargaining agreement and they have done that."

This agreement was retroactive back to July 1, 2013 and will run until June 30, 2014.

If the IAFF provides notice they will begin negotiating again this spring.

The commissioners also agreed on a collective bargaining agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police.

They agreed on a two year agreement, so they will not renegotiate until 2015.