Peter,
I fully concur with Seth. And, I would love to hear from others.
Bernadette
On Dec 1, 2021, at 4:43 PM, Seth Grimes <seth.grimes@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Peter, I'm disappointed that the council is choosing a one-time payment over
a wage increase that keeps up with inflation. And fixed one-time payment --
as you wrote, "everyone would be getting the same lump sum payment regardless
of their level of pay" -- seems a crude approach given a broad city-employee
pay range.
The Consumer Price Index increased 6.2% in the year to October, 2021. The
city is offering a 1.8% wage increase, a gap of 4.4%, which for an employee
earning $50,000/year is $2,200 per year going forward. The one-time $2,500
payment will cover one year of inflation for employees earning $62,500 or
less. After the current fiscal year, AFSCME city employee pay will be well
below amounts that would allow for inflation. We don't need a compensation
study to tell us that.
Would you please keep these points in mind?
Thanks,
Seth
On Wed, Dec 1, 2021 at 2:03 PM Peter Kovar <pakovar@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Dear Neighbors:
As I mentioned previously, in tonight’s City Council meeting we’ll be voting
on a proposal to give all City staff a one-time $2500 payment. In addition
to that payment, employees who are members of the AFSCME union would also be
in line to receive a 1.8 percent pay increase retroactive to July 1 (the
date on which the current fiscal year began), if they sign off on this
proposal Other City staff and members of the Police union have already
received that 1.8 percent increase. The details on the proposal and the
related ordinance are now posted on the City website:
https://takomaparkmd.gov/meeting_agendas/city-council-special-meeting-agenda-wednesday-december-1-2021-600-pm/
As I understand the numbers, for workers earning around $70,000 or less,
when the lump sum payment and the 1.8 percent increase are combined, that
would amount to an effective increase at or above the percentage increase
the union has been requesting. Of course as you go toward the more highly
compensated end of the scale, the effective percentage increase would be
less, given that everyone would be getting the same lump sum payment
regardless of their level of pay.
In addition, because a portion of the pay increase would be a lump sum
payment, only part of the compensation adjustment would be in the form of a
permanent base salary increase. However, as mentioned in the agenda
materials in the above link, the City is also in the process of completing a
wage and compensation study that will make future recommendations regarding
City employee base compensation.
Peter Kovar, Takoma Park City Council, Ward One
