Iowa City Council to vote on labor union contracts

The City Council is scheduled to vote next week on agreements with two labor unions.

The city and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 183 have tentatively agreed to a five-year deal that would take effect in July. The contract sets wages and health insurance costs for three years, after which negotiations for those would reopen while the other language remains in place.

The agreement includes wage increases of 1.35 percent in July and then 1.5 percent six months later, 1.25 percent at the start of the next fiscal year and another 1.25 percent increase halfway through the year and 2.2 percent at the start of the third year.

The contract also calls for increases in what employees pay for family health insurance and to deductible and out-of-pocket maximums for single and family health insurance.

AFSCME currently represents 385 Iowa City employees.

The City Council also is to vote on a three-year agreement with the Police Labor Relations Organization of Iowa City, which represents 64 police officers, that includes the same wage increases as the AFSCME deal. The second increase in the first two years would be applied to the 10-year step pay scale and not paid across the board.

Officers also would see increases in family health insurance contributions and to deductible and out-of-pocket maximums for single and family insurance.