Logo courtesy of the City of Biggs

BIGGS, CA (MPG) - The City Council approved two employee agreements last month for the 2026‑27 fiscal year, adopting identical wage and benefit changes for both represented and unrepresented staff. The new agreements took effect July 1.

The council approved a one‑year Memorandum of Understanding with United Public Employees of California Local 792 at its June 23 meeting.

City Administrator Nicolas Gauthier said the agreement includes a $1 per hour wage increase, $50 per pay period bilingual pay, an additional floating holiday for a total of 3, and removal of the monthly cap on city health insurance contributions. He said the city will now apply an 80‑20 cost‑sharing ratio for medical and dental coverage and update Skelly hearing procedures and notice requirements to match current law.

Gauthier said the fiscal impact for represented employees is $8,455 in wage adjustments and $2,711 in benefit adjustments, for a total of $11,166.

The council also approved a parallel agreement for unrepresented employees. Gauthier said the terms mirror the represented agreement, including the wage increase, bilingual pay, holiday change and health insurance adjustments. He said the fiscal impact for unrepresented staff is $6,850 in wage adjustments and $4,165 in benefit adjustments, totaling $11,015.

A separate action updated the city’s salary schedule to reflect the new pay rates. Gauthier said the adjustment is required to keep the city in compliance with CalPERS rules whenever wages change.

The agreement with the employee union expires June 30, 2027. Negotiations for the next contract are expected to begin in May.