FALL RIVER — Saying the administration couldn’t produce numbers outlining the financial impact on the city, the City Council tabled approving the contract agreement with the Fall River AFSCME Council 93 collective bargaining agreement on Tuesday.
“As an appropriating body, we need to know what the costs are,” said City Councilor Stephen Long, addressing City Administrator Cathy Ann Viveiros and City Financial Director Mary Sahady.
The proposed contract was approved last week by union members, including clerks, dispatchers and other city workers, by a 112 to 37 vote. The three-year contract is retroactive from last July 1, sees salary increases of 2 percent the first year and 1½ in subsequent years.
At times, the discussion on how much the contract will cost the city became contentious, with some councilors visibly frustrated due to Viveiros’ inability to answer several financial-related questions, indicating the administration was still calculating costs.
City Councilor Shawn Cadime said he was “trying to wrap my head around this,” and that the administration had entered into a contract agreement without a financial impact calculation to bring to the council.
“You’ve agreed to it without even knowing if it’s even financially feasible,” said Cadime.
On Thursday, Viveiros said the financial team was working on the calculations and would have the results by the council’s March 5 meeting.
“The administration certainly respects the council’s request to understand the full cost of the contract,” said Viveiros.
At this point, Viveiros estimated the cost of the new AFSCME contract agreement at about $300,000.
Included in the contract are step pay increases for the city’s public safety dispatchers in response to a recent high turnover rate.
“We’re having trouble filling the posts,” said Viveiros. “Within six months we’ve had a 25 percent turnover rate. Of the 32 dispatchers, eight have left.”
The employees with adjusted pay grades will not see the 2 percent increase in this fiscal year.
AFSCME Council 93 is the last of the city’s seven collective bargaining contracts negotiated in the last few years.
Email Jo C. Goode at jgoode@heraldnews.com.