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Keokuk Reaches Tentative Agreement

Keokuk will no longer need outside help to settle a new contract with some employees.

Mayor Tom Marion says that’s because the city and the general unit have reached a tentative agreement.

The employees in the general unit come from multiple departments, including streets and parks.  They have been working under their previous contract since July 1.

Marion says the tentative agreement allowed the two sides to cancel an arbitration hearing scheduled for this week.

He says the hearing would have cost Keokuk $8,000 plus $4,000 if the city’s offer was denied by the arbitrator.

Marion says the $4,000 is how far the two sides were apart on the wages before reaching the tentative agreement.

The wages have been the sticking point between the two sides after the general unit accepted a wage freeze during the previous fiscal year.

Marion says details would not be released until the two sides approve the new contract.

The city and the general unit had already gone through mediation.

Keokuk’s police officers and employees in the wastewater treatment plant already settled on new contracts with the city earlier this summer.

Jason Parrott is a former reporter at Tri States Public Radio.