Police Union Contract 2023-2026

Police Union Contract 2023-2026

Due to the unprecedented labor market and economic factors, the Select Board commissioned a wage study in 2022.  The results of the wage study showed that Barrington employees were underpaid compared to the municipal labor market.  As a result, the Select Board adopted the recommendations and built the wage increases into the 2023 budget.  Although the existing Police Union contract expiration is 2024, the Select Board and Police Union agreed to open negotiations a year early in order to incorporate the results of the wage study.  Please find additional details below.  The cost items for the Collective Bargaining Agreement will be voted on by residents at the Town Meeting Ballot Session on March 14, 2023.

March 14, 2023 (Town Meeting Ballot Session)

January 10, 2023 (Select Board Meeting)

Article 22: Police Collective Bargaining Agreement
To see if the Town will vote to approve the cost items included in the Collective Bargaining Agreement reached between the Select Board and the Barrington Police Union NEPBA Local #240 which calls for the following increases in salaries and benefits at the current staffing level:
Fiscal Year        Estimated Increase
2023                 $69,542
2024                 $48,462
2025                 $31,906
and further to raise and appropriate $69,542 for the current fiscal year, such sum representing the additional costs attributable to the increase in salaries and benefits required by the new agreement over those that would be paid at current staffing levels.  [Majority Vote Required].  Note: This appropriation is in addition to Warrant Article 8, the operating budget article.  This article is projected to add 5 cents/1,000 to the 2023 tax rate or $16 to the tax bill on a $325,000 property.
This article is/is not recommended for approval by the Advisory Budget Committee 5-0.
This article is recommended for approval by the Select Board 5-0.

January 26, 2023 (Police Union Memo)

Police Union Memo Regarding 2023-2026 Contract Negotiations 20230126

December 12, 2022 (Select Board Meeting)

Video • Minutes

  1. Barrington Police Collective Bargaining Agreement – Vote
    1. At the October 17, 2022 meeting, the Select Board adopted the recommendations of the 2022 Wage Study and offered to open the existing NEPBA Local #240 contract (2021-2024).  The Police Union accepted the request to open negotiations.
    2. On November 10, 2022 and December 1, 2022, the Town and the Police Union met to discuss a proposed contract.  The Town emphasized the commitment and dedication of Barrington’s officers and leadership.  The Police Union expressed appreciation for the Town’s willingness to open the contract and consider requests focused on recruitment and retention.
    3. The result of negotiations (Tentative Agreement) includes a three-year term (2023-2026) which addresses wage increases consistent with the 2022 Wage Study, provides a guaranteed step increase for eligible employees in 2024 and 2025, increases the vendor-paid outside detail rate to $60 per hour, increases the holiday pay structure to 120 hours, creates a $3/hour differential for Field Training Officers, and increases the compensatory time allowance to 80 hours.  The Town and Police Union also used this opportunity to update out-of-date aspects of the contract relative to pay schedule, dental insurance, and life insurance
    4. See attached, Redlined Tentative Agreement 2023-2026 NEPBA 240 Contract 20221208
    5. The cost items of the proposed contract will be presented to voters at Town Meeting in 2023.  Those cost items are summarized below.
      1. Total
        1. $69,542 – 2023
        2. $48,462 – 2024
        3. $31,906 – 2025
        4. Wages
          1. $57,390 – 2023
          2. $48,036 – 2024
          3. $31,529 – 2025
        5. Holiday Pay
          1. $10,652 – 2023
          2. $376 – 2024
          3. $327 – 2025
        6. Field Training Officer Differential
          1. $1,500 – 2023
          2. $50 – 2024
          3. $50 – 2025
    6. The Select Board is asked to consider approving the Tentative Agreement for inclusion in the 2023 Warrant.

Make a motion to approve the Tentative Agreement as presented and include the cost items in the 2023 Town Meeting Warrant.

October 17, 2022 (Select Board Meeting)

Video • Minutes

  1. 2022 Wage Study – Vote 
    1. At the May 5, 2022 meeting, the Select Board commissioned a Wage Study to be performed by Municipal Resources, Inc. (MRI).  The study encompassed approximately 45 position classifications covering both union and non-union positions in the Town.  Their work involved a salary survey and analysis of 15 comparable communities with a target of the 60th percentile due to the current market in order to be competitive.  Following their analysis, MRI made recommendations regarding position classification and the pay plan.
    2. See attached, 2022 Wage Study
    3. The recommendations indicate a 9% average increase in minimum wage rates and an 8.82% increase in maximum wage rates (individual positions vary).  The final step is to assign incumbent employees to the appropriate step within the updated pay plan (based on their position classification).  MRI makes recommendations based on the employee's existing wage rate and targets a balance between the average wage rate increase of 9% (for equity) and the percent each position classification changed.  The resulting step assignments will result in an average of 8% increase in wage rates (9.5% median).
    4. Funds to implement the recommendations of the 2022 Wage Study as of April 1, 2023 are currently proposed in the Incident Fund.  If/when adopted by the Select Board, the funds will be distributed throughout departments.

 

Make a motion to adopt the recommendations of the 2022 Wage Study and include the funding necessary to implement the recommendations in April of 2023 upon passage of the 2023 budget.  Further to offer the opening of contract negotiations with NEPBA Local 240 (the Police Union) in order to incorporate the proposed changes in a Collective Bargaining warrant article.

October 3, 2022 (Select Board Meeting)

  1. At the May 5, 2022 meeting, the Select Board commissioned a Wage Study to be performed by Municipal Resources, Inc. (MRI).  The study encompassed approximately 45 position classifications covering both union and non-union positions in the Town.  Their work involved a salary survey and analysis of 15 comparable communities with a target of the 60th percentile due to the current market in order to be competitive.  Following their analysis, MRI made recommendations regarding position classification and the pay plan.
  2. Comparable Communities
    1. Belmont, Conway, Epping, Franklin, Gilford, Hampstead, Lee, Moultonborough, Newmarket, Pembroke, Plaistow, Rochester, Somersworth, Stratham, and Windham.
  3. The new pay plan maintains 13 steps for non-union employees with 2.5% between steps and 9 steps for union employees with 3.5% between steps.
    1. See attached, Proposed Wage Scale - April 2023 Through March 2024
    2. See attached, Proposed Police Union Wage Scale - April 2023 Through March 2024
  4. Based on the analysis performed by MRI, they made classification recommendations for positions on the proposed pay plans.
    1. See attached, 2022 Wage Study Recommendations - Classification Plan 20220922
  5. The recommendations indicate a 9% average increase in minimum wage rates and an 8.82% increase in maximum wage rates (individual positions vary).  The final step is to assign incumbent employees to the appropriate step within the updated pay plan (based on their position classification).  MRI makes recommendations based on the employee's existing wage rate and targets a balance between the average wage rate increase of 9% (for equity) and the percent each position classification changed.  The resulting step assignments will result in an average of 8% increase in wage rates (9.5% median).
  6. Funds to implement the recommendations of the 2022 Wage Study as of April 1, 2022 are currently proposed in the Incident Fund.  If/when adopted by the Select Board, the funds will be distributed throughout departments.
  7. The Select Board is asked to consider what additional information is needed to make a decision.  The Advisory Budget Committee asks that the Select Board consider making a decision by the October 17, 2022 Select Board meeting in order to have proposed wage changes resolved throughout the remainder of the 2023 budget development process.