VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia Beach City Council will have to decide whether to approve collective bargaining after the local fire and EMS union submitted a request.
The request was filed on Feb. 1.
“Obviously, what we would like … is to engage and be authorized to quickly bargain with the city of Virginia Beach with us as the labor organization,” said Max Gonano, president of the Virginia Beach Professional Fire and EMS union. “And that’s why we submitted authorization cards to go ahead and get this on the books and get it moving,” Max Gonano, President of the Virginia Beach Professional Fire and EMS union, said.
City Council has until the end of May to come to a decision about the request.
In a meeting Tuesday, council members wanted to take some time to educate the community.
“I really haven’t heard from my constituents on this issue,” said Councilman Joash Schulman. “I don’t want to make a decision without kind of giving an opportunity for proponents and people who feel otherwise to engage the community about this issue.”
Mayor Bobby Dyer added: “Let’s find out the facts first. You know what we’re all working with.”
Councilman Sabrina Wooten called it an “important” issue.
“The reason that we are here is because employees and staff want a better way of doing things,” she said. “They want to have more say. … They want a seat at the table.”
Council members said they’re looking into the cost and other outcomes associated with approving collective bargaining.
City staff said it could cost just under $1 million minimum per year to implement.
Dyer said it would be a financial decision.
“I’m speaking as … a government professor that features budgeting and human resources management,” Dyer said. “When you have collective bargaining with unions, the cost of government is going to go up.”
Gonano said he thinks the estimate is a little high. He said he is committed to educating the community on why the council should vote yes on collective bargaining.
“When you have engaged employees, you have a better workforce, a more efficient workforce and with a case of public safety, that means a safer community,” he said.
This isn’t the only city in Hampton Roads that has looked at collective bargaining.
Norfolk voted against it and expanded its employee relations committees instead.
Portsmouth approved the collective bargaining requirement from its fire union.
