CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CvilleRightNow) – City Manager Sam Sanders says he’s requesting City Council appropriate $5-million for implementation of the first phase of collective bargaining in the city for fiscal 2025. In addition, he wants to use $7-million of a $21-million fiscal 2023 surplus to move all city employees forward on the pay scale at one time.

Sanders admits collective bargaining implementation is a complicated issue, so his goal “is to be as plainspeak about it, and make sure people understand the various steps”. As for the $5-million… the city will need to spend 3-million for implementing changes in compensation in contracts with police, fire, and transit employees. Then there’s another $2-million to update the pay of the people who are in the department, but not necessarily in the unit represented by the unions.

Sanders says the $7-million expenditure is one-time only, but the $5-million is likely recurring in subsequent budget years, to be added to by bringing other city employees into the collective bargaining process.