Collective Bargaining Takes Center Stage at City Council
FOP and AFSCME Contracts Set to Be Approved on Monday Night
This year is contract negotiation year for the City of Troy and the collective bargaining units it works with to ensure men and women are delivering services on a daily basis to our community. While there are multiple bargaining units within the city, the city works primarily with three unions, the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).
On Monday night, Troy City Council will discuss a series of resolutions that will adopt collective bargaining agreements with both the FOP and AFSCME that will necessitate changes in ordinances that will amend the wage rates for these collectively bargained positions.
It’s important to realize that collective bargaining negotiations enjoy many privileges offered through Ohio Revised Code when discussed by council (or any public body for that matter). The council discussions about these agreements take place in Executive Sessions and while the agreements are public record, they are only released after adopted by both the union and the city council.
It’s not for nefarious reasons that the public is shut out of these discussions. Rather, it’s largely for the confidentiality of the city’s employees. Having public discussions about wages and other terms and conditions of employment, especially for front line employees, isn’t necessarily healthy or productive.
But, the ordinances that change wage rates can give us an idea of how city employees will be compensated moving forward. The ordinances for adoption are showing that both employees covered by the FOP and AFSCME bargaining agreements and even the city’s non-union, managerial and white collar employees will receive a nice bump in their paychecks over the next few years. We're talking about a 4% raise in 2025, followed by 3.5% in 2026, and another 3% in 2027. Now, that might not sound like a big deal at first, but these wages do add up over time.
The ordinances up for discussion help provide examples of these compensation increases. For example, a police officer in Troy who's been on the job for a year or more is earning about $84,000 a year. By 2027, you'll be looking at almost $95,000. That's quite the increase, especially considering the last negotiation only gave 3% increases in each year of the three-year agreement.
Now, you might be wondering why Troy is doing this. Well, the collective bargaining agreements are expiring by the end of the year. But, by planning these raises over several years, the city can budget for them without any sudden financial shocks. Plus, it gives employees something to look forward to. When you know you've got raises coming up, you're more likely to stick around, which is great for keeping experienced staff on board.
What does this mean for Troy as a whole? These wage increases are more than just numbers on a paycheck. The largest expense item on any local government budget is personnel costs. In reality, these increased costs are actually an investment in the city's workforce. Any solid compensation plan should be about creating a stable, motivated team to serve the community. When city employees feel valued and well-compensated, that often translates into better services for residents.
It's also worth noting that this kind of move could make Troy a more attractive place to work. In a competitive job market, offering good wages and regular raises can help the city attract and keep talented employees. That's especially important for roles like police officers, where many cities are struggling with recruitment and retention.
There might be some debate as these ordinances move through the approval process on Monday night. While most people are generally in favor of fair compensation for public employees, there might be questions about the long-term impact on the city's budget. Troy's leaders will need to be ready to explain their reasoning and show how these raises fit into the bigger financial picture.
In the end, these wage increases are important for the community. They show that the city is thinking long-term about its workforce and is willing to invest in its people. As these changes roll out over the next few years, it'll be interesting to see how they impact things like employee satisfaction, the quality of city services, and even Troy's overall economic health.
Details about employee compensation is always done in a very quiet manner and for good reason. And employee compensation can be a complex issue with a lot of moving parts, but at its core, it's about valuing the people who keep the city running. Today’s Civic Capacity newsletter was about taking a deeper look into what these agreements mean for the community long-term and giving some much-needed shape and context to issues that are rarely discussed in open forums.
Thank You Readers!
Today marks Day 500 of the Civic Capacity Newsletter! Thank you to all our readers, subscribers (there are now over 1,500 of you!) and supporters. As always, if you have any comments or questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to pinnaclestrategiesltd@gmail.com. Your response is greatly appreciated!
You Can Help Support This Work!
Our readers and subscribers have been asking for a new way to support the work being done here at Civic Capacity! Some of our readers do not like the idea of having to sign up for another subscription service. Some of our subscribers occasionally want to give more support through a one-time transaction.
Civic Capacity is partnering with “Buy Me A Coffee” to give our readers, subscribers and friends an opportunity to give one-time support to Civic Capacity. Personally, I don’t like coffee, but I will never turn down a nice iced tea. If you feel compelled to support this effort, just click the button below.
Thank you to our reader Richard D. for purchasing today’s freezing iced-tea! It is much appreciated!
Thanks for reading today’s Civic Capacity Newsletter! Please feel free to share this information with your friends and neighbors.
Also, please consider subscribing to our work. If you are a free subscriber, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. For less than $1 a week, you can get timely and conversational updates about the decisions that are impacting you and your community!