MAHONING CSEA Judge ordersend to pickets

A hearing April 23 will determine if the judicial order remains in effect.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A judge has ordered striking workers off the picket lines and back to their jobs at the Mahoning County Child Support Enforcement Agency.
Judge Maureen A. Cronin of common pleas court granted county commissioners' request for a temporary restraining order against the 80 CSEA employees who walked out Monday morning.
The employees are represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3577 and are striking over the county's refusal to reopen wage negotiations.
The judge's ruling, handed down late Monday afternoon, said it appears that the union is engaged in an unauthorized strike.
The union has not had an opportunity to respond to the county's request and was not present in court Monday. Under Ohio law, a judge can decide whether to issue a temporary restraining order based on one side's information.
Hearing set: A hearing will be April 23 to determine whether the restraining order continues permanently or is dissolved so the strike can continue.
"The 14 days is an opportunity for us to keep talking and hopefully come to a resolution," said county Administrator Gary Kubic. The sides met for a mediation session Monday evening.
Marcel Trevathan, Local 3577 president, said he was under the impression that county officials requested that the number of pickets be reduced, not eliminated.
"Reducing the numbers would have been no problem, we were a peaceful crowd, but to completely eliminate the strike was not right," he said.
In seeking the restraining order Monday afternoon, commissioners cited a clause in the union's contract that prohibits the union from going on strike during the term of the contract, which expires Dec. 31. Commissioners are prohibited from locking out employees as well.
Seeks wage increases: The union has said it wants to reopen wage negotiations for the final year of its three-year contract with the county. Workers received 3-percent raises in each of the first two years.
AFSCME is asking for a 5-percent raise for the final year, plus a $1,000 signing bonus. Commissioners have balked, citing a $1.3 million budget deficit within the department.
Trevathan said commissioners have granted raises for other CSEA personnel within the past year when the department was in a deficit situation.
He said commissioners are using the deficit as an excuse to avoid raises for the union.
"It seems like they are conveniently broke," he said Monday.
An independent fact finder has ruled the agency does not have money to cover the raises.