Raise Lifeguard Pay and Fully Open Barton Springs and All City of Austin Pools
Austin Mayor Steve Adler, Members of Austin City Council, PARD Director McNeeley and City Manager Cronk
Lifeguards have won some MAJOR CHANGES regarding pay and benefits that will go a long way to decreasing the likelihood of future lifeguard shortages. What did we accomplish?
An increase in the living wage from $15 to $20. The final pay rates for different lifeguard positions have not been set yet, but Barton Springs guards will earn more than $20/hour.
13 full-time lifeguards with full benefits! There have never been any full-time lifeguards in Austin. This will ensure that Barton Springs never closes again for two days a week as it did in spring 2022 because of a shortage of Open Water Lifeguards.
Paid training during the 40 hour lifeguard course for new lifeguards and the 20 hour course for returning lifeguards! This has never been done anywhere in the USA as far as we know.
Bonuses again in 2023 for lifeguard hiring and retention!
Optional dental insurance for ALL eligible City of Austin temporary employees who buy health insurance through the City of Austin! This will benefit over 150 people as of now who are classified as “temporary” employees for the City of Austin, including some lifeguards.
We send heartfelt thanks to all the people who helped us accomplish these goals, especially Austin City Council Members Vanessa Fuentes, Chito Vela, Paige Ellis, and Ann Kitchen who each sponsored motions on our issues to include them in the budget or as riders, plus the other council members who voted yes to approve lifeguard issues. We also thank PARD Director Kimberly McNeeley for accepting certain reforms such as paid training and full-time lifeguards, and the many members of the Austin media who covered the lifeguard shortage and did stories on our campaign to end the shortage and open all pools in the future.
The signers of this petition urge the City of Austin to raise lifeguard wages to $22 an hour and improve benefits in order to have at least 750 lifeguards on staff in summer 2022 to allow Barton Springs Pool and all Parks and Recreation pools to fully reopen and operate safely
Austin City Council can Save the Summer! for many Austinites by enhancing wages and benefits for lifeguards enough to make sure all pools are fully open and that the many Austin children who have fallen behind on learning to swim over the pandemic can attend swim lessons this summer. They will use those swimming skills the rest of their lives.
Summers are hot in Austin and the people of Austin need their pools fully staffed and open. Barton Springs Pool is currently closed Mondays and Wednesdays because of the lifeguard shortage.
The city has only offered $1,250 dollars in bonus money and zero wage increases (Update: as of May 22, the city implemented a $1 pay raise). Barton Springs lifeguards have spoken to Austin City Council and the Austin Parks and Recreation Board, which you can see in the videos here, here and here.
The current lifeguard starting pay of $15 (as of May 22 now $16) is not enough to attract enough people to work as lifeguards when they can find many other jobs requiring less training and skills for the same or more pay. The Austin Parks and Recreation Board unanimously endorsed a $22 pay rate for lifeguards.
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation offers a $21 lifeguard starting pay rate, plus they offer $1,000 in bonuses, for an effective pay rate of $23.50. The City of Phoenix offers its lifeguards a $2,500 bonus. City of Austin lifeguards save lives every summer. We support raising their pay in order that enough lifeguards will be ready to serve the people of Austin this summer.
Save the Summer! Open the Pools! Raise lifeguard pay and benefits!
Petition by
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To:
Austin Mayor Steve Adler, Members of Austin City Council, PARD Director McNeeley and City Manager Cronk
From:
[Your Name]
I urge you to raise the Austin Living Wage for all City of Austin employees, including lifeguards, to $22. I also urge the City of Austin to improve benefits for lifeguards in order to have at least 750 lifeguards in future years to allow Barton Springs Pool and all Parks and Recreation pools to fully open and operate safely.
Austin City Council can Save the Summer! for many Austinites by enhancing wages and benefits for lifeguards enough to make sure all pools are fully open and that the many Austin children who have fallen behind on learning to swim over the pandemic can attend swim lessons this summer. They will use those swimming skills the rest of their lives.
Summers are hot in Austin and the people of Austin need their pools fully staffed and open. Barton Springs Pool was closed Mondays and Wednesdays for two months because of the lifeguard shortage. Even as of July 20, 14 pools, about 43 percent of them, remain closed.
The city only offered $1,250 dollars in bonus money and zero wage increases (Update: as of May 22, the city implemented a $1 pay raise for summer 2022).
During the next fiscal year, the City of Austin should raise the Austin Living Wage to $22 for lifeguards and all City of Austin employees.
The city should also make at least 20 lifeguards who work year-round "regular" employees with full benefits and offer more benefits for "temporary" lifeguards.
The lifeguard starting pay of $16 is not enough to attract enough people to work as lifeguards when they can find many other jobs requiring less training and skills for the same or more pay.
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation offers a $21 lifeguard starting pay rate, plus they offer $1,000 in bonuses, for an effective pay rate of $23.50. The City of Phoenix offers its lifeguards a $2,500 bonus.
City of Austin lifeguards save lives every summer. I support raising their pay in order that enough lifeguards will be ready to serve the people of Austin every summer and at the pools open year round.
Save the Summer! Open all the Pools! Raise lifeguard pay and benefits!