Holyoke City committee approves settlement with clerical union, adjusting pay, vacation and discipline rules

The Holyoke City Finance Committee on Nov. 24 approved a settlement agreement between the city and the clerical unit represented by the National Association of Government Employees (NAIG, R1-180 clerical union).

Lisa Ball presented the agreement, saying it removes police dispatchers and civilian police personnel from the clerical bargaining unit because those employees now have a separate collective bargaining agreement. The agreement also standardizes gender-neutral pronouns and recognizes library positions that recently joined the union.

Ball summarized the compensation provisions: a 2% raise effective July 1, 2025, and a provision that there will be no cost-of-living adjustment until July 1, 2026. The contract sets a three‑year term with COLAs scheduled at 2%, 2.5% and 2.5% across the term. Vacation accruals were adjusted (for example, employees under five years’ service will have 15 days in the new schedule instead of 12; subsequent steps were also changed), and vacation buyback was removed with payout to be made pro rata when an employee separates from service. Sick leave will be earned at 1.25 days per month rather than front-loaded at hire, and bereavement leave was expanded to five days for specified relatives.

Ball said the agreement also adds a short probationary period and deletes a detailed disciplinary appendix so the parties have more discretion to manage warnings and suspensions.

The committee moved to approve the necessary transfer associated with implementing the settlement; the motion carried with Councillors Sullivan, Devine, Givner and Ocasio recorded as voting yes. The committee also formally received related paperwork for item 9.

The settlement will move forward administratively; the Finance Committee’s approval completed the council-level transfer and acceptance actions required for the agreement to be implemented.