Remedy for Police Department Supervisor/Manager Wage CompressionCity of Dubuque
City Council Meeting
Action Items # 011.
Copyrighted
June 17, 2024
ITEM TITLE: Remedy for Police Department Supervisor/Manager Wage
Compression
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending City Council approve salary percentage
increases and longevity adjustment, effective July 1, 2024, in order to
remedy the wage/salary compression that would exist for the ranks of
Police Lieutenant, Police Captain, Assistant Police Chief, and Police
Chief related to the percentage wage increases provided to union police
ranks per the CBAeffective on July 1, 2024.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Approve
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
MVM Memo City Manager Memo
Request for Salary Increase for Police Mgmt Staff Memo
THE CITY OF
Dubuque
DUB TEE1.
All -America City
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Remedy for Police Department Supervisor/Manager Wage Compression
DATE: June 13, 2024
Chief Human Resources Officer Shelley Stickfort is recommending City Council approve
salary percentage increases and longevity adjustment, effective July 1, 2024, in order to
remedy the wage/salary compression that would exist for the ranks of Police Lieutenant,
Police Captain, Assistant Police Chief, and Police Chief related to the percentage wage
increases provided to union police ranks per the CBA effective on July 1, 2024.
To begin to address the identified issue of wage compression occurring between Police
Department supervisor/management ranks and union positions, for which there was a
mere $74 per pay period pay difference between the highest union position step and the
lowest step of the supervisory/non-union position, effective in January 2024 the City
Council approved a 5% wage increase for non -collective bargaining sworn personnel in
the positions of Lieutenant, Captain, and Assistant Chief. The Police Chief position
received a 6% increase.
In the late fall of 2023 and early months of 2024, information was received from the
Compensation and Classification vendor Carlson Dettman Consulting (CDC) that
indicated gaps in wages for Police personnel along with recommendations for
percentage increases in order for the City to remain competitive for recruiting new,
qualified talent and retain existing talent. This information was used for bargaining with
the Dubuque Police Protective Association's (DPPA) new collectively bargained for
contract that would become effective July 1, 2024. As a result, three significant changes
were bargained for and are included in the ratified DPPA contract that goes into effect
on July 1, 2025. The first was an increased number of steps for the wage plan that
includes the Patrol Officer and Police Corporal positions represented by the DPPA, the
second provided for targeted increases versus across-the-board increases to address
identified gaps in competitiveness of wages at certain intervals/steps for each of the two
position levels on the DPPA Wage Plan, and third was an increase in longevity pay from
3% after 15 years of service to 3.5% and from 4% after 20 years of service to 5%.
These actions over the course of the three-year (FY 25, FY26, and FY27) DPPA wage
plan increases permit the City to close the identified competitive wage gaps per the
CDC Classification and Compensation review and conclusions.
The bargained for increases address the concerns about competitive wages for the
recruitment and retention of represented police personnel. However, the base pay
difference between the top step Corporal (union) and bottom step Lieutenant
(supervisor/manager) and all the other manager levels would now experience
compression again when the DPPA wage plan goes into effect on July 1, 2024.
To remedy the resulting compression police supervisory/management positions would
need to receive the same percentage wage increase as is reflected at the top step of
the DPPA wage plan for the highest union position in the July 1, 2024 DPPA CBA Wage
Plan for each fiscal year. Specifically:
1. Fiscal Year 2025
— 10.25%
2. Fiscal Year 2026
— 7.25%, and
3. Fiscal Year 2027
— 5.6%
In addition, the supervisory longevity schedule should be revised to follow the longevity
schedule as bargained for in the CBA. The ranks of Police Lieutenant, Police Captain,
Assistant Police Chief and Police Chief would receive 3.5 % longevity after 15 years of
service instead of the current 3% and 5% longevity after 20 years of service instead of
4%
The recommended changes to remedy compression that would occur on July
1, 2024would cost approximately $268,125.02. Jenny Larson, Chief Financial Officer,
has reviewed the data/information and concurs with the likely cost increase. Funding for
these increases in FY 2025 would come from savings created by staff vacancies In
future budgets the cost would be built in through the annual budget process.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
v
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Attachment
CC' Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Shelley Stickfort, Chief Human Resources Officer
Jeremy Jensen, Chief of Police
Jenny Larson, Chief Financial Officer
Connie Palm, Compensation and Classification Manager
Dubuque
THE CITY OF
DUB Et
AII•Ameft City
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
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z°°�.z°iZxz° 13
2017*2019
TO: Mike Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Shelley M. Stickfort, Human Resources Director
DATE: June 11, 2024
RE: Remedy for Police Department Supervisor/Manager Wage Compression
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memo is to recommend salary percentage increases and longevity
adjustment, effective July 1, 2024, in order to remedy the wage/salary compression that
would exist for the ranks of Police Lieutenant, Police Captain, Assistant Police Chief
and Police Chief related to the percentage wage increases provided to union police
ranks per the CBA effective on July 1, 2024.
BACKGROUND
To begin to address the identified issue of wage compression occurring between Police
Department supervisor/management ranks and union positions, for which there was a
mere $74 per pay period pay difference between the highest union position step and the
lowest step of the supervisory/non-union position, effective in January 2024 the City
Council approved a 5% wage increase for non -collective bargaining sworn personnel
(supervisors/managers) in the positions of Lieutenant, Captain, and Assistant Chief.
The Police Chief position received a 6% increase'.
In the late fall of 2023 and early months of 2024, information was received from the
Compensation and Classification vendor Carlson Dettman Consulting (CDC) that
indicated gaps in wages for Police personnel along with recommendations for
percentage increases in order for the City to remain competitive for recruiting new,
qualified talent and retain existing talent. This information was used for bargaining with
the Dubuque Police Protective Association's (DPPA) new collectively bargained for
contract that would become effective July 1, 20242. As a result, three significant
changes were bargained for and are included in the ratified DPPA contract that goes
into effect on July 1, 2025. The first was an increased number of steps for the wage
The July 1, 2023 wage increase for all sworn personnel, except the Police Chief, was a 6% increase.
The Police Chief received 5%. The additional 1 % (6% instead of 5%) provided to the Chief in January
2024 corrects the resulting disparity from the lesser percentage increase provided for on July 1, 2023.
2 The DPPA/City of Dubuque CBA effective July 1, 2024 has a duration of five years or until June 30,
2029, but provides for wage increases for only three years (FY25, FY26, and FY27) with a reopener of
the contract only as to wages for FY28 and FY29.
plan that includes the Patrol Officer and Police Corporal positions represented by the
DPPA, the second provided for targeted increases versus across-the-board increases
to address identified gaps in competitiveness of wages at certain intervals/steps for
each of the two position levels on the DPPA Wage Plan, and third was an increase in
longevity pay from 3% after 15 years of service to 3.5% and from 4% after 20 years of
service to 5%. These actions over the course of the three-year (FY 25, FY26, and
FY27) DPPA wage plan increases permit the City to close the identified competitive
wage gaps per the CDC Classification and Compensation review and conclusions.
The bargained for increases address the concerns about competitive wages for the
recruitment and retention of represented police personnel. However, the base pay
difference between the top step Corporal (union) and bottom step Lieutenant
(supervisor/manager) and all the other manager levels would now experience
compression again when the DPPA wage plan goes into effect on July 1, 2024.
DISCUSSION
To remedy the resulting compression police supervisory/management positions would
need to receive the same percentage wage increase as is reflected at the top step of
the DPPA wage plan for the highest union position in the July 1, 2024 DPPA CBA Wage
Plan for each fiscal year. Specifically:
1. Fiscal Year 2025 — 10.25%
2. Fiscal Year 2026 — 7.25%, and
3. Fiscal Year 2027 — 5.6%
In addition, the supervisory longevity schedule should be revised to follow the longevity
schedule as bargained for in the CBA. The ranks of Police Lieutenant, Police Captain,
Assistant Police Chief and Police Chief would receive 3.5 % longevity after 15 years of
service instead of the current 3% and 5% longevity after 20 years of service instead of
4%
BUDGETIMPACT
The recommended changes to remedy compression that would occur on July 1, 2024
would cost approximately $268,125.02. Jenny Larson, Chief Financial Officer, has
reviewed the data/information and concurs with the likely cost increase. Funding for
these increases to remedy wage compression would come from savings created by
staff vacancies
RECOMMENDATION
I respectfully request your support for the percentage wage increases and longevity
percentage changes identified above to proactively address wage compression from
occurring on July 1, 2024 within the City of Dubuque Police Department.
cc: Police Chief Jeremy Jensen
Chief Financial Officer Jenny Larson
Compensation and Classification Manager Connie Palm