Under the terms of the contracts, the municipal employees would receive salary increases of 3 percent for 2006 and 2007, and 3.25 percent in 2008 and 2009.
By:Lea Kahn Staff Writer
Township Council approved four-year contracts that carry 3 and 3.25 percent pay increases for two of the five unions that represent township employees.
The council voted 4-0 on Tuesday to approve contracts with the 53-member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 2257, and the five-member Communications Workers of America, Local 1032.
Mayor Michael Powers and council members Rick Miller, Pam Mount and Greg Puliti voted to approve the contracts, which are retroactive to Jan. 1. The contracts expire in December 2009. Councilman Mark Holmes was absent.
Under the terms of the contracts, the municipal employees would receive salary increases of 3 percent for 2006 and 2007, and 3.25 percent in 2008 and 2009, according to Municipal Manager Richard Krawczun.
Union members had sought larger increases because they would have had to pay for health insurance premiums for their dependents, Mr. Krawczun said. The unions settled on the smaller increases after the two sides agreed that the township would continue to pick up the tab for health insurance for the employees and their dependents, he said.
By comparison, members of AFSCME, Local 2257, and CWA, Local 1032, received pay increases of 3.25 percent for each of the three years of the expired contract. That contract took effect in January 2003 and expired in December 2005.
The manager said he was "partially satisfied" with the terms of the contract. It would have been preferable for the employees to have contributed toward their dependents’ health insurance premiums, he said.
Mr. Krawczun said there were four separate proposals regarding how to pay for health insurance for the employees’ dependents, but none were acceptable to all of the 134 union members in the five bargaining units. Under state law, municipal employees’ health insurance premiums but not their dependents’ premiums are picked up by the town, he added.
Tonya Carter, president of AFSCME, Local 2257, said she was pleased with the terms of the contract. The members voted 31-5 last month to approve the contract, she said. Some members did not vote, she said, adding that she did not know why they did not vote.
"I’m just glad it’s done and settled," Ms. Carter said.
Anthony Cermele, president of CWA, Local 1032, could not be reached for comment. The CWA represents supervisors, including the construction official, the executive assistant in the Community Development Department, and the manager of motors, general supervisor of streets and supervisor of building services in the Department of Public Works.
Mr. Krawczun said that now that he has settled contracts with the two unions, he plans to move ahead and work out settlements with two of the three remaining unions. He met with representatives of the unions that represent the township’s professional firefighters and emergency medical technicians this week.
The fifth union the Police Benevolent Association, Local 119 has filed for arbitration with the Public Employment Relations Commission. Mr. Krawczun said the two sides are waiting for an arbitrator to be selected so they can present their respective cases.
Under the contract between the CWA, Local 1032, and the township, the salary range for the construction official ranges from $70,201 to $87,446 this year. In 2009, the salary range is $77,084 to $96,019.
The salary range for the executive assistant ranges from $57,750 to $69,729 this year, and from $63,411 to $76,565 in 2009. For the supervisor of building services, the salary range is $39,524 to $57,456 this year and from $43,399 to $63,089 in 2009.
The general supervisor of streets and the manager of motors will earn between $52,023 and $71,557 this year, and between $57,123 and $78, 573 in 2009.
The contract between AFSCME, Local 2257, and the township sets the salaries for the clerk and clerk typist at $22,256 to $27,507 this year, and between $24,438 and $30,204 in 2009, for example.
A senior Public Works inspector will earn between $35,575 and $45,657 this year, and $39,063 and $50,133 in 2009. The electrical and plumbing inspectors will earn between $43,843 and $57,157 this year, and $48,141 to $62,761 in 2009.