NEW CASTLE Council approves contract

Council members were invited to a fireworks festival in Japan.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A one-year contract for public works and recreation workers has been approved by council.
The agreement gives the 33 members of Laborer's International Union of North America Local 964 a $900 pay increase and a $150 longevity bonus.
The contract approved Thursday will allow the city to hire three part-time workers for garbage collection. Officials say that will free up full-time employees to work in the street maintenance and recreation departments.
The city also can start new workers at $10 an hour, a lower pay, and gradually boost their salaries over the next five years to the top scale ranging from $13 to $15 an hour.
Officials say those changes will help cut expenses over the next few years.
Invited overseas: Council got an unexpected invitation Thursday.
Officials from New Castle's sister city, Shinshiro, Japan, want council members to visit there for its annual fireworks festival in August.
Council President Robert Bullano read a letter he received this week inviting council members to join a group from New Castle, which is expected to attend the festival.
Bullano said after the meeting he does not know who from New Castle is planning a trip to Japan.
Council members did not discuss traveling to Japan. The two cities have had a sister-city relationship for several years and officials from Shinshiro have visited New Castle.
Delegates from several international cities, including Shinshiro, are expected here for the 2002 summit of cities. Plans for that event were set in motion last year.