Agenda - Council - 06/14/1994 - Laserfiche WebLink

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will be 7.5 years. This compares to 1990 when AFSCME employees averaged 87..5% of midpoint with 3.0 years of tenure (see Exhibit I). Ramsey does not have a step system in the same manner as most of its peer communities. I believe, however, that the system currently in place here is more fair than the norm. It also has demonstrated results. We have not attempted to address movement through classes beyond midpoint. Nor have we addressed reaction to wages above class maximums. Further issues concern wage compression (difference between supervisors and subordinates in gross earnings) and maximum percentage or dollar increases in any year. Each of these, however, I believe are best addressed with each contract negotiation. The above effectively states that wage progression issues will be continually reviewed and modified. However, it appears that the current system will generally result in wages at midpoints in the six to seven year time frame, on average (dependent upon reclassification and compensation plan adjustments). This progression assumes satisfactory performance. From time to time Council has discussed wage treatment of specific employees. Exhibit II shows wages between 1988 and 1993 (with projections for 1994). Careful review of this data will reveal that in any given year significant percentage increases have been afforded to various positions. For instance, in the fn-st three years of a patrol officer's tenure roughly a 40% wage increase can be expected. Also, promotions or reclassification of position generally results in a significant one or two year increase. Finally, with the City attempting to rectify wage disparities since 1991 caused by historical pay patterns, positions paid well below class and market means have received significant wage increases. Lesser percentage increases (but often comparable dollar increases) have been gained by positions more favorably placed within markets and classes prior to this latest Council initiative. Summary_ It is my opinion that absent a formal policy of Council, a wage policy does in fact exist. This policy (with slight embellishment) seems to be: For purposes of market comparisons we will use pay scales (not incumbent wages) of Stanton Class V Cities between 10,000 and 25,000. We witl also review wages and pay patterns of neighboring and Anoka County Cities. Resulting from the above we will attempt to ensure that our class wage ranges compare favorably with our chosen market comparisons on average. This is to say that our plan will reside within + or - 5% of the mean of the market. o In an attempt to recruit effectively for positions, our wage minimums should vary between 72% and 76% of wage maximums. This will place Ramsey on an even status with the market given 4/2 above. Ramsey has a pa>, system that results in progression to midpoints within a reasonable time frame. This is to say that if the staff tenure in total is at 5 to 7 years on average, it is projected that wages will average at or about the midpoint for the sum of the group. This pro~ession assumes satisfactory performance. It is recognized that in order to accomplish the above, from time to time, for specific positions, a wage adjustment above the norm will be required.