Sparks council approves new CBA for Operating Engineers and MOU for fire chiefs

The Sparks City Council unanimously approved a collective bargaining agreement with Operating Engineers Local 3 supervisors and a separate memorandum of understanding affecting classified fire chief officers during its Jan. 12 meeting.

Assistant City Manager Allison McCormick summarized the CBA (AC-6166) for the Operating Engineers supervisors, saying it runs through June 30, 2028 and includes labor-market adjustments and other pay changes. "All employees in the bargaining unit would receive a minimum of 1% base pay rate increase," McCormick said, and job classifications that lag market rates will be adjusted up to a 7.5% maximum. Crew supervisors in wastewater will receive a $4 per hour increase upon ratification and an additional $1 per hour in fiscal year 2027, McCormick said. The agreement also revises overtime rules, increases bilingual pay, raises longevity caps and adjusts deferred-compensation matching.

McCormick presented estimated costs: an increase of $14,762 in the general fund and $56,233 in other funds in the remainder of fiscal year 2026, and larger increases projected for fiscal year 2027. After a public hearing with no speakers, Councilmember Vanderweel moved to approve the agreement; Rodriguez seconded and the motion carried unanimously.

In a separate item, McCormick sought council approval of MOU AC-6161 to amend the classified fire chiefs' bargaining unit on two points: personnel reductions would be based on seniority in job classification rather than city-wide seniority, and military‑leave language would be aligned to existing city administrative rules. Staff said those changes have no direct cost impact. Council approved the MOU unanimously.

Next steps: city staff will proceed with ratification steps and update payroll as required by the agreements. The council recorded both approvals with unanimous votes.