2023 - 2026 WCE Memorandum of Understanding: Article 45: Reopeners
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- 45.1 Reopeners
- 45.2 Retirement Security Labor Management Committee
45.1 Reopeners
During the term of this MOU, the parties agree not to reopen any Article of this MOU unless the parties mutually agree to reopen a specific Section or Article.
45.2 Retirement Security Labor Management Committee
After the effective date of the parties’ successor MOU and during the timeline specified below, the County and the Union will form a management/labor retirement benefits committee. The charge of the committee is to gather and analyze information on County employee retiree benefits and to develop recommendations for optimal long-term solutions that meet the interests and needs of all impacted parties and still position the County to have total compensation market competitiveness and workforce stability. As part of this recommendation, the parties shall address the following items: unfunded liability cost sharing; pension cost sharing; pension obligation bonds; retiree medical benefits; longevity; and retiree cost of living adjustment. Other retirement related issues may be considered by mutual agreement.
The committee shall consist of up to two (2) WCE Union members and six (6) management representatives. Union team members will be permitted time off without loss of compensation or other benefits when formally meeting or engaging in mutually agreed upon preparation or caucus time. Additional WCE staff may participate.
The County and the Union further agree that the committee should include representatives from all County bargaining units and employee organizations and that they will support having representatives of all such units and organizations participating in the committee by commencement of the committee’s work in the March 2021. The County and the Union further agree that the committee’s work will be completed by March 2022. The committee’s recommendations and strategies will be advisory only to the County’s CAO’s office.
The County and the Union agree that to the extent the committee’s recommendations and/or strategies, and/or the County Administrator’s recommendations resulting from the committee’s recommendations and or strategies, address subjects that are specifically covered by existing articles or sections in the parties’ labor agreements, those specific articles or sections may be re-opened by either party to formally meet and confer. Unless the parties mutually agree otherwise, the earliest reopener negotiations will commence will be June 2022.