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Association pushes fixes to promotion timelines, cites civil service delays
Summary
Union negotiators pressed changes to promotion eligibility and remedies after citing civil service commission delays that left positions open for more than a year; city representatives warned changes could implicate chapter 143 rights and require major concessions.
Association negotiators proposed edits to promotion eligibility language to address repeated delays by the civil service commission, saying failure to follow contractual timelines has cost officers seniority and back pay. The association urged remedies so affected officers would receive credited eligible time and back pay when promotions are delayed.
"We haven't been enforcing the contract on the promotional test," an association representative said, recounting open positions remaining vacant for 12 to 19 months and urging accountability from the civil service process.
City negotiators noted that statutory protections in chapter 143 assigned certain promotion responsibilities to the civil service commission and that giving up those rights in a contract would be a significant change. "Once you give up a right, you probably never get it back," a city representative said when asked about rewriting statutory provisions by contract.
Both sides agreed to examine possible improvements, including faster testing schedules and internal steps to reduce delays, while acknowledging some remedies could entail financial costs if back pay were required. No formal agreement was reached; negotiators said the association would bring specific suggestions and grievances have already been filed in some cases.
