Jul. 31—MANCHESTER ALDERMEN have approved contracts with 12 employee unions, including an agreement with city firefighters that includes a reworking of language involving controversial "multiple-alarm" pay and residency requirements.

Departments with approved contracts include library, central fleet, facilities, health, highway, parks & recreation, airport, welfare, police patrolmen, supervisors and support staff, as well as firefighters and fire supervisors.

All but one of the agreements cover three-year time frames, from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2024. The police patrolman's union agreement includes a fourth year.

The contracts include 3% cost of living raises — plus steps and longevity pay — effective July 1, with 4% increases in 2023 and 2024.

The police patrolman's contract includes the same terms, plus a fourth year in 2025 with a 3% cost-of-living raise.

The agreement with the firefighters union represents movement by both sides on the issue of "multiple-alarm" pay.

The pay, doled out annually in mid-December, is intended to entice firefighters to show up for large fires while off-duty, according to a 2017 fact-finders report that endorsed the firefighters union's position.

Fire officials say it is similar to other professions that require employees to be "on call."

The previous firefighters contract lists the payment for "extra duty" under Article 11, which reads: "Employees in the Bargaining Unit shall be paid 1 and 1/4 of a normal week's pay paid prior to the end of the calendar year for extra duty. Time spent on multiple alarms and other extra duty assignments shall not be included under (this section) for purposes of computing overtime."

'Extra duty pay'

Included in the new agreement is language in Article 11 stipulating: "Employees in the Bargaining Unit shall be paid 1/2 of a normal week's pay prior to the end of the calendar year as an availability stipend. Accordingly, employees shall make reasonable efforts to be available in the event they are unexpectedly required to report for duty."

The new deal says firefighters will receive three-quarters of a normal week's pay for responding to critical incidents.

"If an employee is notified through the employee/employer agreed to mode of communication (cell phone, home phone, voice mail, and/or text) of a critical incident they must respond unless they are prevented from responding due to a bona fide reason," the proposed contract states.

"Any unauthorized absence from a critical incident may result in the application of the discipline process...including loss of 1/4 of a normal week's pay."

The new contract also requires members of the union to live within 45 minutes of the city of Manchester compared to the 15-mile radius included in previous contracts. However, "any member of the bargaining unit who resided outside the 15-mile said limit as of the date of ratification of this agreement shall be allowed to continue such residency outside the city limits."

Earlier this year, Richard McLaughlin, a Manchester fire lieutenant and 33-year veteran of the department, made claims in a Jan. 10 email to Ward 8 Alderman Edward Sapienza that "multiple members" of the fire department live out of state.

He later recanted those claims in a follow-up email to Mayor Joyce Craig, Assistant Fire Chief Ryan Cashin, Sapienza and others with the subject line "Mea Culpa," saying he painted the department with a "pretty broad brush" and had no proof to support his claims.

McLaughlin's email was forwarded to the city's human resources department by Fire Chief Andre Parent, and security manager Kevin Kincaid began an investigation.

Kincaid determined McLaughlin's allegation regarding firefighters violating residency was "inconclusive."

"There is conflicting information regarding the enforcement," now-retired human resources director Kathleen Ferguson wrote.

"Past practice based on legal advice resulted in non-enforcement of this provision. Also, union contract language refers to the 'date of ratification those who reside outside of the 15-mile limit may be exempt' from the residency requirement, which is unclear at this time."

Teachers' contract

Aldermen also have ratified a two-year agreement with the city teachers union that includes salary increases, one-time retention bonuses and added instructional time during the school year.

The contract runs through June 30, 2024.

The agreement increases the teacher hiring rate to $42,435, with all certified teachers starting at Step 1 at $41,000 plus a 3.5% hiring bonus for a total annual wage of $42,435. In the second year, the base salary increases to $43,495, including the 3.5% hiring bonus.

The contract also uses ESSER funds to provide one-time retention bonuses between $2,000 and $3,000 in FY '23. The bonuses would be reduced to between $1,250 and $1,500 in FY '24.

The agreement contains changes in health insurance benefits expected to result in $540,000 in district-wide savings.

The estimated cost to the school district is pegged at $4,463,345 in school year 2023 and $4,273,970 in school year 2024, for a total cost of $8,737,315 over the two-year term of the deal.

Supporters of the tentative agreement say the new pay rates will help the Manchester School District be more competitive in the tough labor market for new teachers.

The agreement will extend the student instructional day by 10 minutes per day, a change equal to approximately 4 1/2 extra school days of instruction over the course of a school year.

The school calendar has five days' worth of extra time built into it to cover five snow days. City teachers have agreed the first three snow days will be non-instructional days, but any snow days thereafter may include remote instruction. The change will regain two more instructional school days, though they may be remote, depending on the weather.

The contract makes permanent the student loan repayment incentive — $60,000 per year — added in the last contract. It allows entry level teachers to receive $1,000 a year for five years to be used to help repay student loans. Teachers must commit to continued employment with the Manchester School District for five years to be eligible for the incentive.

The contract includes language about compensation for teaching a sixth class at the middle and high middle schools at one-sixth per diem, at a minimum of $7,500 and a maximum of $11,000.

This gives the district the opportunity to add additional course offerings (or cover vacancies) at slightly reduced costs.

New development chair

Attorney Suzanne Brunelle, a shareholder with the law firm of Devine Millimet, has been elected to lead the Board of Directors of the Manchester Development Corporation as chair following the departure of longtime chair William Craig, whose term ended in March of 2022.

"I'm thrilled to have the board back together and in person again as we continue to work our way out of the pandemic," Brunelle said in a statement. "The last two years have been difficult but commercial development in the city of Manchester remains strong as businesses, small and large, continue to move into the city. I'm excited to continue working with the board and the city's Economic Development team on identifying new projects."

Paul Feely is the City Hall reporter for the New Hampshire Union Leader and Sunday News. Reach him at pfeely@unionleader.com.