Sheridan council reviews collective-bargaining process after IAFF Local 276 notice

Sheridan city staff reviewed state collective-bargaining law and the city’s proposed process for negotiating with IAFF Local 276 after the union delivered a notice to the city on Feb. 20, 2025.

Human-resources resource director Heather Doak briefed the council on Wyoming statutes governing firefighter bargaining and the city’s usual timeline for talks, including a 10-day statutory requirement to meet after written notice and a 30-day period to reach agreement before unresolved issues are submitted to arbitration. Doak said the city and the union have in recent years mutually extended statutory deadlines while the parties gather budget and legislative information.

Doak said, “Wyoming law establishes the right for firefighters to unionize. IAFF Local 276 is the bargaining agent for the firefighters, and they delivered a letter to the city on February 20, 2025.” She reviewed arbitration procedures in statute, including that if parties cannot agree within 30 days of their first meeting “any and all unresolved issues shall be submitted to arbitration,” and summarized the typical three-arbitrator process that follows the Uniform Arbitration Act.

Why it matters: The council acts as the city’s “corporate authority” under state statute and must negotiate in good faith on wages and working conditions with the firefighters’ bargaining agent. Doak told the council the city may negotiate one- or two-year contracts and that either side may seek arbitration if talks stall.

Doak outlined the city’s proposed 2025 bargaining arrangements: a negotiating team of the mayor plus three council members (Jack Wood, Terry Whitesell, and Steve Brant were named as the committee), an initial bargaining session expected to require less than a working day, submission of initial proposals at least 14 days before the first bargaining session, and a follow-up meeting about a week later to finalize numbers. Doak said the meetings are held as executive session because collective bargaining is permitted there under state law.

No formal motion or vote was recorded at the study session. Doak said the council and union have already agreed to the same process used last year, that both sides must sign the rules once approved, and that the rules will be placed in front of counsel next week and then on an upcoming council agenda for formal approval. She also noted that the union president was temporarily delayed for personal reasons and the city had given him additional time to return signed documents.

Discussion vs. action: The presentation was informational. Staff described the statutory framework, proposed negotiating team and schedule, and the arbitration fallback procedures. The council did not vote on a bargaining agreement at the meeting; staff said they will present finalized documents to counsel and return to the council for formal action.

Looking ahead: Doak said a bargaining session is expected in April (date to be finalized) and that if the parties do not reach agreement within the statutory window any unresolved issues would proceed to arbitration under the procedures she described.