Members ratify pact with TMWA

Local 1245 members at Truckee Meadows Water Authority ratified a new agreement on a vote of 57-8. The TMWA Board of Directors also approved the pact.

The agreement provides wage increases of 2.5% in the first year, 2% in the second year and 42 hours of PLT which the employee may cash out, defer, or use.

Other provisions include:

• Employee may now cash out up to 40 hours of vacation per year.
• Employee may cash out sick leave of up to 48 hours per year above 700 hours of accrued sick leave.
• Replaced fixed shift differential with percentage of hourly rate.
• Employee who works in the “rest period” window but less than 2 hours will receive 7 hours of rest, while employee who works over 2 hours will retain 9 hours rest. In previous agreement, employee who did not physically work 2 hours did not get rest period at all.
• Increase to $75 for phone allowance for employees who use smart phone technology.
• Created new “Senior” position in facilities/grounds.
• Tightened language limiting TMWA ability to cross classification employees.
• Employees hired after July 1, 2012 will share in change of costs (up or down) 50/50 of NV PERS (for term of agreement).
• Minor changes to meal tickets: Employees now get $28/meal with CPI escalator and a set 45 minutes for meals.

Representing the union on the negotiating committee, along with Business Rep. Pat Waite, were Greg Bates, Jackson Bergland, Steve Enos, Mark Patterson, and Bryce Twitchell. Serving on the ad hoc committee were Travis Bunkowski, Mike Milligan and Jeff Westwood.