by Sean Ruppert, Staff Writer
The Township Council unanimously approved new labor agreements Tuesday with unions representing public works employees and fire dispatchers, as well approving contracts with nonunion employees like the township manager and police chief.
Separate four-year deals were approved with the Public Works Employees Association PWEA and the Local 90 Firemen’s Benevolent Association FMBA, along with a one-year agreement with department heads and other nonunion municipal employees such as secretaries.
The new nonunion agreement is retroactive to Jan. 1, with a 2 percent increase in starting salary for most positions retroactive to July 1. Under the agreement, salaries for department heads, including the township manager, chief of police, chief financial officer, health officer and the township clerk, will range from $57,274 to $149,238 before July 1, and from $58,420 to $152,233 after July 1.
The 2007 pay range for department heads was $56,151 to $146,312.
The mayor’s salary will be $10,772 before July 1, and $10,988 after July 1. It was $10,561 in 2007. The deputy mayor will receive a salary of $8,598 before July 1, and a salary of $8,770 after July 1. It was $8,429 in 2007. Council members receive a salary of $7,068 before July 1, and a salary of $7,209 after July 1. They received a salary of $6,929 in 2007.
The agreement with the PWEA is retroactive to Jan. 1, and runs through 2011. The agreement gives employees an approximately 2 percent increase in starting salary on July 1, 2008, and then gives employees an approximately 4 percent increase in starting salary on Jan. 1 of every year through 2011.
Laborers, meter readers and mechanics will start the contract with an hourly pay range on $17.24 to $30.11 as of Jan. 1, and will end the contract with an hourly pay range of $19.70 to $34.41 in 2011. Their starting wage was $16.60 in 2007. Sewer and water maintenance employees will have an hourly pay range of $24.17 to $30.83 beginning Jan. 1 and will finish the contract with an hourly range of $27.63 to $35.24. Their starting wage was $23.70 under the previous deal in 2007.
Equipment maintenance mechanics and water and sewer inspectors will begin the contract with an hourly pay range of $25.83 to $32.75 and end the contract with an hourly range of $29.52 to $37.43 in 2011. Their starting wage was $23.32 in 2007. Vehicle maintenance foremen and section foremen will have an hourly range of $28.87 to $36.29 beginning Jan. 1, and will finish the contract with a range of $32.99 to $41.48 in 2011. Their starting wage was $28.30 in 2007.
The FMBA contract is retroactive to Jan. 1 and runs through 2011. Employees get an approximately 2 percent increase in starting salary retroactive to July 1, and an approximately 4 percent increase in starting salary on Jan. 1 of every year through 2009.
Public safety telecommunicators will have a salary range at the beginning of the contract of $37,616 to $56,348 and a range of $42,993 to $64,403 at the end of the contract in 2011. The deputy fire marshal will have a salary range of $43,607 to $65,958 at the beginning of the contract and a range of $49,841 to $78,387 at the end of the contract in 2011. They had a starting salary range of $36,878 to $55,243 in 2007.

