HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-068-06/13/2006-EXPRESSING THE CITY COUNCILS OPPOSITION TO A CITIZEN-INITIATED CHARTER AMENDMENT PERTAINING TO COLLE RESOLUTION 2006-068
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
EXPRESSING THE CITY COUNCIL'S OPPOSITION TO A
CITIZEN-INITIATED CHARTER AMENDMENT PERTAINING
TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
WHEREAS,this same date,through the adoption of Resolution 2006-067,the City Council
has submitted to the registered electors of the City at a special municipal election to be held on
Tuesday,September 12,2006,a proposed citizen-initiated amendment to the City Charter that would
grant certain police employees the right to organize and bargain collectively with the City (the
"Charter Amendment"); and
WHEREAS, if approved by the voters,the system of collective bargaining proposed by the
Charter Amendment would replace the system of collective bargaining for police employees
presently contained in Chapter 2, Article VIII, Division 7 of the City Code; and
WHEREAS, the primary differences between the existing system of collective bargaining
contained in the City Code and the system of collective bargaining that would be established by the
Charter Amendment are: (1) any contract issues that could not be resolved by negotiation would
be submitted to arbitration and the City would be bound by the decision of the arbitrator; (2) the
collective bargaining agreement reached by the City and the bargaining unit under the existing
system could be reopened by the bargaining agent; (3) the current compensation and benefits of the
members of the bargaining unit could never be reduced without the consent of the bargaining agent;
and; (4) the salaries and benefits of comparable cities around the nation would have to be used for
establishing the compensation and benefits of members of the bargaining unit even though only the
salaries and benefits of employees in other Colorado Front Range cities and counties are used to
establish the compensation and benefits of other City employees; and
WHEREAS, the City Council believes that the existing system of collective bargaining
contained in the City Code is workable and acceptable because it allows for good faith negotiations
without depriving the City Council and the City Manager of the authority to resolve impasses and
to make decisions about employee compensation and benefits that are in the overall best interests
of the City, given the competing financial needs of the City and its residents; and
WHEREAS,through negotiations in 2005,under the existing system of collective bargaining,
police employees successfully negotiated an agreement with the City that was acceptable to both
parties for 2007; and
WHEREAS, the Council believes that the system of collective bargaining proposed by the
Charter Amendment would not be in the best interests of the City,primarily because it would allow
impasses to be resolved by a third party arbitrator whose duties and responsibilities would be limited
to resolution of the contract issues and who would not share the same responsibilities as the City's
elected and appointed officials for balancing the needs of police employees with all other important
financial needs of the City; and
WHEREAS,because such system would not allow for any reduction in any of the benefits
of employment currently extended to the members of the bargaining unit,the City would be unable
to effectively manage and contain the escalating costs of employee benefits by making changes as
maybe necessary for this particular group of employees, even when those adjustments were made
for all other City employees; and
WHEREAS, because the City Council believes that the existing system of collective
bargaining adequately protects the interests of police employees and because the proposed system
of collective bargaining would impede the ability of the City Council and City Manager to balance
the needs of police employees with all other needs and interests of the City,the City Council strongly
believes that the ballot measure is contrary to the interests of the City.
NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT
COLLINS, that the Council hereby expresses its strong opposition to the Charter Amendment and
encourages the voters of the City to vote against this ballot measure.
Passed and adopted at an adjourned meeting of the Coun it of the City of Fort Collins this
13th day of June, A.D. 2006. 1/na
ayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk