Herald - Lantern ■ Dispatch 31 )uly '85 3

5% Pay Hike

County, Union Reach Accord

By JOE ZELNIK COURT HOUSE - Negotiators for the county and its largest union came out of a 5 V? -hour session Friday with tentative agreement on a proposed three-year contract. Key item is a flat five percent across-the-board pay increase each year for about 700 employes in everything from courts and clerical to roads and the county nursing home. Ralph Williams, general representative of Local 1983, Internationa] Brotherhood of Painters and Allied Trades, told this newspaper he'll sign the contract without a membership vote if the freeholders agree to its terms. They next meet on Aug. 8 and Lawrence A. Pepper Jr., the county's labor counsel and chief negotiator, told this newspaper he'll make his recommendations to the freeholders that day in a closed session. PEPPER DECLINED to day whether he'll recommend the county agree to the proposed contract. A previously-negotiated contract which the county was ready to sign was turned down by the rank and file on May 24 by a 283-111 vote. Williams said key employe objections to that proposal have been solved. And he said he can approve the contract unilaterally

under the "authority" granted him as special trustee of the local. These are the proposed settlements for what the union has called the five key issues: • PAY. The 5 percent pay hike for all employes replaces the county's May offer which, according to the union, amounted to 5 percent for the lowest three steps, 3.75 to 4.2 percent for the next five steps, and only 2 percent for everyone in the eighth step and beyond. For approximately 240 employes with the most seniority, there would have been "bonuses" of $250 and $440 in the first and second year of the contract, but they would not have gone int. base base. A third-year "bonus" of $750 would have gone into base pay. This proposal was thought to be a major reason for the membersip disapproval on May 24. •Grievance procedures. The previous contract gave employes the right to grievance procedures only for disciplinary actions of more than five days. That has been reduced to more than three days Willaims said. •CLOTHING, allowance for Crest Haven employes, which the union said has been $120 for several years, was increased to $140 this year, $160 next year, and $175 in 1987. The previous county offer was $120, $175 and $175, Williams said. • Prescription co-pay.

The employe contribution was increased from the former $1 to $2.50. In the contract turned down in May, the county had asked for $3, Williams said. • Longevity. The union agreed to end this benefit for employes hired after execution of the contract: the county agreed to "grandfather" current employes through the duration of this contract. Some employes reportedly are concerned that, as newer employes without the benefit become the union majority, they will negotiate away this benefit in subsequent contracts. LONGEVITY is a 2 percent wage increase for every five years' service up through 12 percent for 30 years and 14 percent for 40 years and more. Elimination of that benefit eventually will save the county several hundred thousand dollars a year, its officials have said. Williams said he felt the county "...made an honest effort to be as fair to our members as possible under the existing conditions. " With a previous contract turndown and a rear-guard action from former Local 1983 business manager Sam Kelly, trying to get back into a leadership position, Williams had feared a state decision that both sides were at impasse. PERC ( Public Employe Relations Commission) could have imposed a oneyear contract in that case.

Willaims said. "IF THE COUNTY really wanted to be mean," said Williams, "they could have stuck to their original position and forced us, through PERC, to a contract that would have been bound upon us for one year." Assuming both sides sign this contract. Williams said he will "call a general membership meeting and inform everybody as to the reasons." Union members also had raised a number of nonnegotiable objections covering everything from lack of posted work rules to hiring practices. Williams said Pepper agreed that, after the contract is signed. Williams and his stewards will meet with department heads to discuss those problems The previous two-year contract had expired Dec. 31. Acceptance of this proposal will mean more than seven months of retroactive pay to employes. In addition to a full-paid Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Major Medical program, eye care coverage, dental, and $5,000 in life insurance, county employes also get 14 holidays, three personal leave days, and 12-25 days vacation's depending on how long they've been with the county. Most work a 35-hour week.

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