SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor unveiled plans Monday to get stalled contract talks between the city and the police and fire unions going again by calling in an unbiased third party.
The third party will work to analyze the health care cost figures being used by both sides and to come up with a set of numbers both sides can agree on.
The two sides have differed on the amount of city tax money it takes to fund health care for uniformed employees and their families, with the city saying it costs much more than the figures cited by the union.
The third party figures would be an attempt at getting the two sides together on one accepted set of cost figures.
"This is not about us versus them," Taylor said. "There is only us."
Taylor said once a third party is selected, the analysis should be complete next month.
"When council convenes in January, we will receive an integrated third party report on health care costs, and pension formula and benefits," Taylor said. "And we are working diligently to identify a firm or firms that can provide the requested information."
But San Antonio Police Officers Association President Mike Helle said there is a catch in the third-party agreement that the mayor did not disclose. He said that lies in who finds that third party.
"What we've asked the mayor to do was to call in a federal mediator, somebody that's impartial to either side," Helle said.
He said that way the third party would not be tainted by being brought forth by either the city or the union.
Taylor also wants the police union to stop what she called public, personal attacks on the city and its employees that have arisen because of this disagreement.
"We will continue to refuse to engage in mudslinging and personal attacks that have characterized the negotiations the past week or two," Taylor said. "I have spoken to Mike Helle of the San Antonio Police Officers Association and have asked for the negative advertising to cease."
Helle said the advertising has been factual, not mudslinging, and that it will continue as necessary until several things happen.
"The big one was to withdraw the lawsuit that the city started against us," Helle said. "Where we feel it's appropriate, SAPOA will respond with factual-based information at the appropriate time."
San Antonio Professional Fire Fighters Association President Chris Steele said his association was not part of the mayor's plan.
He said to begin any negotiations, the city must provide the union the information it's been requesting.
"Why would we come to the negotiating table when we don't have all the information we need," Steele said. "And then on top of that, we're being sued."
He also scoffed at any holiday truce on publicizing the discord in the contract negotiating process.
"How can we trust them, is our big thing," Steele said. "How can we trust the city to say holiday truce when they're suing us and not giving us the information we need?"
He said there will be no truce and no progress until those issues are solved.
The city is suing the unions to void the evergreen clause in their contracts that say the contracts stay in effect if no new contracts are signed by both parties.