Members of AFSCME Local #3088 will receive a pay raise of one percent thanks to a resolution passed by Mansfield City Council at their last meeting before summer recess. The union was not due for negotiations until 2015, however a provision of their current contract allowed this portion to be re-opened if other city employee unions received pay raises in their contract negotiations. Since both the police and firefighters received pay raises, the contract was opened to amend the pay.
Originally the AFSCME members were slated to get lump sum payments annually. These payments are treated effectively as bonuses, thus have no impact on retirement, annual salary, and are taxed differently. The memorandum to amend the contract will eliminate these lump sum payments and instead the employees will receive a one percent raise this year and next.
Councilman Walden “Butch” Jefferson questioned whether the city had funds to support the measure. City Finance Director Linn Steward confirmed that the increase will fit within the current budget. The resolution passed unanimously.
In other council business three claims were authorized for payment or partial payment, a series of resolutions to continue programming Ocie Hill were passed, and the tax budget was adopted.
Mansfield City Council will be on summer recess until August.
