Council seals deal with police, fire

The city of Superior has reached an agreement with its police and fire unions.

The council approved both contracts Tuesday night.

Under the terms of those agreements, union members with the police and fire departments will pay a larger share for health insurance and pensions — although not quite as large a share as counterparts working in other departments within the city.

Under Wisconsin Act 10, which stripped most public employees of most of their collective bargaining rights, police officers and firefighters were exempt from the new budget repair law passed last year. Public employees are required to pay 5.8 percent of their salary toward pension benefits through the Wisconsin retirement system.

Starting this week, officers and firefighters begin paying 3 percent of their salaries toward pension benefits, with the city paying for the rest until the end of the year. At the start of 2013, all city employees, including police and fire department employees, will pay 5.8 percent.

Police will also see an increase in their share of health insurance costs, but still less than other public employees. While the city previously paid 95 percent of the health insurance costs for a single plan, the city’s share will drop to 90 percent, the share the city previously paid for family and employee plus one plans.

Unlike city contract agreements reached with public works and other non-public safety employees, however, police will receive a bump in pay over the next two years.

Wages for union-represented police officers and firefighters will increase 3 percent this year and another 2.9 percent starting Jan. 1.

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