Council OKs nonunion pay raises

After several years of going without, the city of Kalispell’s nonunion employees were granted a 1.3 percent pay raise Monday night by the Kalispell City Council.

The “me, too” raises proposed by City Manager Jane Howington go into effect for fiscal year 2011-12.

“We have compression issues because our unions have moved forward with pay increases over the years and our nonunion employees have not,” Howington told the council.

In the police and fire departments, some union employees earn more than the nonunion chief and assistant chiefs.

A resolution granting the 1.3 percent raises also consolidates the number of nonunion pay grades from 19 to six.

“We have some positions that range over as many as five pay grades. We need to get that back to like pay for like work, so we are proposing this six-grade classification plan to try to start doing that,” Howington said.

The raises for nonunion staff will cost about $36,600 and the consolidation of pay grades will cost about $19,100 as several employees are moved into higher grades.

According to Howington, both moves can be made within the existing budget.

Union employees are already seeing 1.3 percent salary step increases for the 2011-12 fiscal year, according to city documents.

By taking on more work and going without the raises that union employees have successfully negotiated for, nonunion staffers have played a significant role in building the city’s general fund reserves back up to $1.1 million, Howington said.

“We’re really asking for a minor symbolic gesture to say we appreciate you,” she said.

The resolution passed 8-1. Council member Bob Hafferman was the only one to oppose it.

“We have to keep your eye on the ball and that is to get our reserves built up to $1.5 million. Until then, I don’t see offering pay raises to anybody,” Hafferman said.

“The private sector hasn’t had a pay raise for quite some time, either. We shouldn’t put ourselves above the private sector.”

Council members Duane Larson, Tim Zauner and Kari Gabriel spoke in favor of the measures before casting their yes votes. The city is on track to hit that $1.5 million reserves target by the end of this fiscal year, Zauner said.

Mayor Tammi Fisher, who also supported the resolution, said the reclassification of nonunion pay grades is long overdue.

“Raises were not on my agenda for anybody over the last couple years,” she said.

“This is a small increment in comparison to a four-year salary freeze and watching some of their counterparts get increases while they went without.”

Reporter Tom Lotshaw may be reached at 758-4483 or by email at tlotshaw@dailyinterlake.com.