KCFD Collective Bargaining Agreement (2024-2029) Vocabulary

Preamble and Basic Objectives

• Parties Involved: This Collective Bargaining Agreement (Agreement) is established between Local Union No. $42$ of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), AFL-CIO-CLC, and the City of Kansas City, Missouri.
• Primary Purposes:
  • Promote harmonious relations between the City, the Union, and personnel.
  • Establish rates of pay, hours of work, and employment conditions.
  • Improve productivity and advance worker and public safety.
  • Prevent work interruptions or interference with City operations.
• Implementation:
  • Provisions achievable through administrative action without conflict take effect immediately.
  • Conflicting administrative regulations must be revised within $30$ days.
  • Provisions requiring City Council action must be submitted via ordinance or resolution as soon as practicable.

Article 1: Recognition and Union Security

• Recognition: The City recognizes Local No. $42$ as the exclusive bargaining representative for various uniformed roles, including Fire Fighters, Fire Apparatus Operators, Captains, Communication Specialists, EMTs, Paramedics, and all ranks equal to or below Captain.
• Protection Against Discrimination: The City shall not discharge or discriminate against members for lawful union activities or membership in Local No. $42$. Discrimination is prohibited based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, military status, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
• Dues Deduction:
  • The City deducts union dues and assessments for members providing written authorization (Appendix C).
  • Authorization is irrevocable for $1$ year or the contract expiration, whichever is first.
  • Payroll deductions for FIREPAC $42$ (political action committee) are also provided.
• Release from Duty:
  • A maximum of $7$ Union representatives may be relieved on pay status for disciplinary proceedings, grievances, and negotiations.
  • One designated representative must be available on weekdays ($0800$ to $1600$) for legal interviews and investigations.
  • The President and $2$ additional representatives are on full release for Union business as "Floating Positions."
• Access to Information: The City provides monthly computer reports on personnel assignments, station locations, and seniority lists. The Union is granted viewable access to the Telestaff staffing software.

Article 2: Management Rights

• Authority: The City maintains the sole right to operate the Department, including hiring, assigning, transferring, and disciplining for just cause ($Article 2, Section 1$).
• Limitations: Management rights are limited by the express terms of this Agreement. In any conflict between City rules and the Agreement, the Agreement takes precedence.
• Rules and Orders: Verbal departmental rules issued by the Fire Chief are valid for only one tour of duty unless converted to writing.

Article 3: Seniority Standards

• Vacation Seniority: Calculated by total years of service from the date of employment with the Fire Department, regardless of rank.
• Bid/Promotion Seniority: Calculated by the date of appointment to a specific job classification or rank.
• Adjusted Seniority: For members returning from disability pensions or re-employment, seniority is adjusted to exclude time spent on disability retirement.
• Probationary Period: Newly hired employees have a $12$-month probationary period. They must attain EMT, FF1, FF2, and Hazmat certifications within those $12$ months or face potential termination.

Article 4: Staffing, Vacancies, and Transfers

• NFPA 1710 Compliance: Pumper, Truck, Ladder, and Rescue Companies must be staffed according to NFPA $1710$ ($2020$ edition). Ambulances require a minimum of $2$ licensed EMS personnel.
• Ambulance Staffing: The City will create/hire full-time employees to staff at least $35$ ambulance units during the day and $28$ at night.
• Squad Companies: Defined as one Advanced Life Support (ALS) pumper and one ALS ambulance.
• Promotional Eligibility:
  • Fire Apparatus Operator (FAO): Requires $5$ years of service. Scoring: Written ($70\%$ pass threshold) + Experience points ($\frac{1}{24}$ of a point per full month of service).
  • Fire Captain: Requires $10$ years of service. Scoring includes knowledge-based ($25\%$), fire ground ($25\%$), situational ($25\%$), and experience ($25\%$).
  • Experience Bonus: Candidates receive $1$ point for holding the rank of FAO and $1$ point for being a licensed Paramedic.
• Transfer Restrictions:
  • Members vacating a spot may not bid for $1$ year.
  • Specialized divisions (ARFF, Training Academy, Fire Education) require a $2$-year tenure.
  • Communications and HAZMAT require a $3$-year tenure.

Article 5: General Work Provisions

• Detail Pay: Employees providing private transportation for details are paid $0.5\,hours$ at time and one-half ($1.5 \times$ base rate) within their district, or $0.8\,hours$ outside their district.
• Ready Time: Defined as standby time from $9:00\text{ p.m.}$ to $6:00\text{ a.m.}$ Routine inspections or training are not scheduled during these hours.
• Training Temperature Limits:
  • Training/inspections requiring personnel to get wet are prohibited if temperature is below $50^\circ \text{F}$ or above $90^\circ \text{F}$.
  • Outside activities are deferred if temperature is below $40^\circ \text{F}$ or above $90^\circ \text{F}$.
• Wellness: The City provides annual physicals and CPAT (Candidate Physical Ability Test) at no cost. Vaccinations for EMS licensure are also provided by the City.

Article 6: Hours and Overtime

• 24-Hour Shift ($207K$): Employees work on a $14$-day FLSA work period. Overtime ($1.5 \times$ regular rate) is paid for hours exceeding $106$ in that period.
• N-Days: Employees have one unpaid non-working day every $9$ scheduled workdays.
• Ambulance Shifts: $24$-hour ambulance personnel are paid overtime for hours exceeding $40$ in a single workweek.
• Trading Time: Permitted with notice to the Battalion Chief at least $30\text{ minutes}$ prior. Trading more than $5$ times per year requires specific permission.
• Overtime Rotation: Hired via a seniority-based list. Accepting $20\,hours$ or more moves the member to the bottom of the list.
• Holdover: Limited to $1\,hour$ for field units and $2\,hours$ for Communications/Logistics. If held past $30\text{ minutes}$, a minimum of $1\,hour$ at $1.5 \times$ rate is paid.
• Fire Guard/EMS Standby: Minimum of $4\,hours$ of pay at $1.5 \times$ the Incentive Rate. If performed on a legal holiday, pay is double the Incentive Rate.

Article 7: Vacations, Holidays, and Special Leaves

• Vacation Accrual (24-Hour Shift):
  • $0$ to $5$ years: $104\,hours/year$
  • $5$ to $10$ years: $160\,hours/year$
  • $10$ to $15$ years: $184\,hours/year$
  • Over $15$ years: $200\,hours/year$
• Vacation Max: Total accrual limit is $500\,hours$.
• Holidays: The Agreement recognizes $11$ holidays. Members receive $10\,hours$ of straight pay for each. Working a regular shift on a holiday pays $1.5 \times$; working outside a regular shift pays $2 \times$.
• Parental Leave: $12\,weeks$ of paid leave at $100\%$ of the Incentive Rate for birth or adoption. Must be used within $9\,months$.
• Military Leave: Up to $120\,hours$ paid leave per federal fiscal year.

Article 8: Clothing and Tool Allowance

• Uniform Issue: Minimum $3$ shirts, $4$ job shirts, $4$ T-shirts, $4$ pants, $2$ shorts, and $2$ sets of protective gear.
• Fleet Safety: Members in the Fleet Division are provided $1$ pair of steel-toed safety shoes annually.
• ERVT Tool Allowance: Emergency Response Vehicle Technicians receive $1,500.00\,dollars$ annually on their anniversary date for tool acquisition and replacement.

Article 9: Insurance and Pension

• Health Insurance Premiums: The City pays $90\%$ for individual coverage, $85\%$ for Employee+1, and $80\%$ for family plans.
• Life Insurance: Equal to $1 \times$ base annual salary, rounded up to the nearest $500.00\,dollars$.
• Retiree Health Subsidy: Active members contribute $2\%$ of payroll, and the City contributes $4\%$. Retirees receive a monthly "Health Insurance Subsidy."
• Critical Illness Benefits: The City provides $100,000.00\,dollars$ of coverage for bargaining unit members through the Missouri Fire Fighter Critical Illness Trust and Pool.

Article 10: Sick Leave

• Accrual Rates: $40$-hour employees earn $4.4\,hours$ per pay period; $24$-hour shift employees earn $6\,hours$ per pay period.
• Accrual Limit: Maximum of $4,000\,hours$.
• Conversion: Upon retirement (Normal or Duty-Related Disability), sick leave converts at a ratio of $2\,hours$ of sick leave to $1\,hour$ of vacation leave.

Article 11: Injury on the Job

• Supplemental Payments: Members injured in the line of duty receive supplemental pay to maintain full regular wages for up to $1\,year$.
• Independent Medical Opinion: Injured employees may obtain one independent opinion at the City's expense from the group health insurance network.
• Hepatitis C Supplement:
  • Bi-annual testing provided by the Department.
  • Infected members unable to work receive $100\%$ pay for up to $12\,months$ without losing accrued leave.
• Emerging Infectious Disease: A rebuttable presumption exists that infection or quarantine for diseases identified by the CDC/Health Department is duty-related if contracted during emergency operations.

Article 12: Pay and Special Duty Incentives

• Wages: Progressive tenure-based steps. $2\%$ increases to the Base Rate occur annually in years $2, 3, \text{ and } 4$ of the Agreement.
• Education Incentives (per pay period):
  • Associate’s: $25.00\,dollars$
  • Bachelor's: $50.00\,dollars$
  • Master’s: $65.00\,dollars$
  • Doctorate: $75.00\,dollars$
  • Language Proficiency ($70\%$ score): $50.00\,dollars$
• Special Duty Incentive (percentage of Base Hourly Rate):
  • Hazmat Technician: $5\%$
  • ARFF Certified: $5\%$
  • Rescue Division: $5\%$
  • Training Instructor: $10\%$
  • Community Paramedic: $10\%$
  • Ambulance Unit (all worked hours): $20\%$
• Mandatory On-Call: Members receive a $150.00\,dollars$ stipend for completing their mandatory callback obligation period.

Article 13 & 14: Logistics, Fleet, and Communications

• Logistics Breaks: ESTs ($12$-hour shift) receive one $30$-minute and three $15$-minute breaks. ERVTs ($10$-hour shift) receive one $30$-minute and two $15$-minute breaks.
• Shift Differential: Logistics and Communications personnel receive $1.20\,dollars\,per\,hour$ for the $6:00\text{ p.m.}$ to $6:00\text{ a.m.}$ shift.
• Communications Staffing: Total FTEs increased to $60$. Minimum daily staffing is $9$ positions, including $2$ Communication Officers.
• Training (Communications): Mandatory monthly training ($1$ to $4\,hours$) is paid at $1.5 \times$ the Regular Rate.

Article 18 & 19: Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures

• Grievance Steps:
  1. Immediate Supervisor (oral or written).
  2. Deputy Chief (written statement).
  3. Fire Chief (meeting within $15\,days$).
  4. Human Resources Director (final city-level answer).
• Arbitration: Final and binding. Costs are borne by each party; the arbitrator's fee is paid by the party receiving the lesser award.
• Disciplinary Rights: Employees have the right to Union representation during any investigatory interview. The Department must provide written notice of specific allegations prior to the interview.
• Investigation Time Limits: Must be concluded within $90\,days$ of the first interview unless tolled by criminal investigations or City EEO proceedings.
• EEO Training: City provides annual diversity, inclusion, and sexual harassment training.

Article 25 & 26: Impasse and Strike Policies

• Impasse Procedure: Following $90\,days$ of conferring, parties request Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) mediation. Mediation period is limited to $45\,days$.
• Arbitration for Impasse: The arbitrator selects one of the two "last best offers" submitted by the parties.
• No-Strike Clause: The Union agrees to no strikes, work stoppages, or slowdowns. Missouri law violations regarding concerted job actions may lead to termination.

Appendix B: Drug and Alcohol Misuse Policy

• Prohibited Alcohol Levels: Positive test defined as a blood alcohol level at or above $0.04\,gm/dL$.
• Drug Testing Cutoff Levels (Screen/Confirm):
  • Cocaine: $300 / 150\,ng/mL$
  • Amphetamines: $1000 / 500\,ng/mL$
  • Marijuana (Oral Fluid): $3 / 1.5\,ng/mL$
• Random Testing: Max $4\,random\,tests$ per calendar year.
• Disciplinary Steps:
  • Step 1: Mandatory EAP referral, formal reprimand, and $24\,hour$ suspension.
  • Step 2: $96\,hour$ suspension and mandatory treatment.
  • Step 4: Recommendation of termination and a "DO NOT REHIRE" designation.