FPUD, employees reach labor agreement

The Fallbrook Public Utility District (FPUD) has reached a new labor agreement with the Fallbrook Public Utility District Employees Association (FPUDEA) and the Fallbrook Management Employees' Association.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which had been signed by FPUD negotiators and FPUDEA representatives needed ratification by the FPUD board of directors, and on June 22 the FPUD board voted 3-1 in favor of the new agreement. Bert Hayden, Don McDougal, and Charley Wolk provided the necessary three votes for passage. Al Gebhart voted against the agreement. Milt Davies was not present at that day's meeting.

"The MOU is for three years and the two main components are a two percent cost of living for each of the three years plus the adjustment of the salary schedule to coincide with a market survey of 13 other water districts," said FPUD general manager Brian Brady.

In 2011, the FPUD board approved a four-year agreement which was expense-neutral to the district; the FPUD employees received an annual 2 percent cost of living increase which was offset by an added 2 percent employee contribution to fund FPUD's California Public Employees' Retirement System pension obligation. That agreement expired on June 30, 2015.

Brady and FPUD human resources manager Casey Walters represented the district administration in negotiations with the FPUDEA and Teamsters negotiators. The negotiations began in February; FPUDEA approved the final agreement terms June 9 and the Fallbrook Management Employees' Association ratified the MOU on June 15.