If it takes two years for a new contract to be reached, the city will most likely offer no raise for the first two years of our new 3 years contract then a raise for the 3rd year. This allows the city to avoid paying us back pay on the raises we should have gotten for years 1 and 2 and allows them to keep gaining interest on the money in the bank that should have been our raise. This is a common tactic by the current mayor and one reason why we have wanted a new contract attorney for our lodge.