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IBEW Local 1245 pushes City of Fernley to negotiate new trade classifications; council orders talks
Summary
Union representatives said the city created new electric/trade classifications and pay scales without bargaining, estimating pay gaps of roughly $8+/hour; council voted to direct city staff and the union to meet to negotiate rather than proceed immediately to arbitration.
Fernley — Representatives of IBEW Local 1245 appealed to the Fernley City Council on May 21, asserting the city violated the collective bargaining agreement by establishing new trade classifications and associated pay scales without negotiating with the union.
Dylan Godfrey, senior assistant business manager for Local 1245, said the union’s grievance (filed as grievance 01-25 and citing Article 14) asserts the city did not properly negotiate the newly created electrician and SCADA specialist classifications. Business representative Marty Cumley told council the union’s comparables showed market pay differentials; he said the smallest gap he cited offhand was about $8 per hour on the low end. The union requested that the city and the union sit down to agree on classifications, duties and wage ranges before pursuing arbitration.
City Manager Ben Marshant and the city attorney explained that this grievance reached the council under the contract’s step-four process because no individual bargaining-unit employee could initiate the lower steps for a classification that was created by council action. The city manager said legal counsel had been consulted; the city’s position denying the grievance was already provided in writing to the union and the next step properly belongs to the council for review.
Councilman Torres moved that the city form a negotiating team with IBEW 1245 to meet and seek a negotiated resolution before arbitration. The council approved that motion (three yes, one no, one abstention) and directed the city manager, HR and city attorney to coordinate with the union to set meeting participants and timing. Councilmember Mendoza disclosed that as a card-carrying union member he would abstain on any subsequent vote directly affecting union contracts.
Councilmembers and HR staff also discussed the union’s safety concerns and the need to ensure job descriptions included required certifications and safety responsibilities. HR Manager Mitsy Carter told the council that safety protocols apply equally regardless of union membership.
The council’s motion did not rule on whether the city had violated the CBA; it only directed negotiations to seek a mutually acceptable settlement and to report back to council.
