Personnel Committee Meeting – July 30, 2026: Rejection of WPCA/IUOE Local 30 Collective Bargaining Agreement

The Personnel Committee of the 32nd Board of Representatives met on July 30, 2026, at 7:01 PM to consider a rejection item (P32.01) for the tentative successor collective bargaining agreement between the City of Stamford Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) and the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 30, covering approximately 25–26 WPCA employees. HR Director Paula Russell presented the terms, and committee members asked questions before voting. The motion to reject the agreement failed, meaning the committee does not recommend rejection.

Discussion Items

• Presentation by Paula Russell (HR Director): She summarized the three-year agreement (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2028) covering skilled operational employees. Economic terms include general wage increases of 2.75% retroactive to July 1, 2025, 3% effective July 1, 2026, and 3% effective July 1, 2027. These follow the pattern set by the IUOE Highway Operations agreement approved in September 2025 and are consistent with statewide municipal bargaining trends (average 3.04% for FY25–26). Health insurance premium contributions increase from 18% to 18.5% effective July 1, 2026 (or upon ratification), and to 19% effective July 1, 2027, projected to generate $13,182 in additional employee contributions over the final two years. The health insurance waiver for opting out of coverage is phased out for future employees, with current participants grandfathered. For retirement, employees hired after July 1, 2011, who are not in the defined benefit pension plan, will see the maximum employee contribution eligible for the city’s 50% match increase to 4% effective July 1, 2026, and to 4.5% effective July 1, 2027 (city match formula unchanged). The city also secured management and operational improvements: clarified work scheduling, formalized shift swap procedures requiring management approval, clarified that employees must report ready to work at the start of shift (with a 7-minute grace period), revised overtime eligibility after sick leave, updated probationary and certification requirements, and increased health cost-sharing.
• Committee Questions: Vice Chair Pavia asked about the definition of “ready to work” and whether there is a grace period (Russell later confirmed 7 minutes). Representative Gross sought clarification on standby pay (pay for employees on call for emergencies, increases with general wage increases) and the retirement plan (a 401(a) defined contribution plan administered by M Power). She also asked about the health insurance waiver: employees opting out must prove alternative coverage, and current waiver participants are grandfathered. Chair Weinberg confirmed that no employee can opt out without showing other coverage, and that only 4 of 25 employees currently opt out. A long discussion ensued about the high cost of family health insurance premiums under the State Partnership Plan (over $50,000 annually). Russell noted regular soft market checks still show the state plan as the lowest cost. She agreed to share the broker’s upcoming report with the chair. Weinberg also inquired about the retirement match: the fiscal impact estimates assume all employees contribute the maximum (worst case), and vesting schedules exist but details were not provided.

Key Outcomes

• Vote on the Motion to Reject the Collective Bargaining Agreement: The motion was made by Representative Hill, seconded by Representatives Gross and De La Cruz. Roll call: Representative De La Cruz – No, Representative Gross – No, Representative Hill – No, Representative Pollock – Excused, Representative Salas – initially said “yes” but corrected to “No” after the chair clarified that a “yes” vote means to reject the agreement, Representative Pavia – No, Chair Weinberg – No. The tally was 6 No, 0 Yes, 0 Abstentions. Therefore, the rejection failed. The tentative agreement is not rejected by the committee; it moves forward as approved by the committee’s vote not to reject.