CANFIELD Trustees, union reach deal on new contract

The proposed contract states that paychecks are to be issued on Thursdays.
By IAN HILL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
CANFIELD -- Township trustees and union representatives have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract for township employees.
Trustee William Reese said the three-year contract with the Teamsters includes a 4 percent annual raise for employees. Those represented by the Teamsters are township Zoning Inspector Dave Morrison and Road Superintendent Gary Cook, as well as the township's office manager and three road department employees.
Their contract will expire at the end of this year.
Reese said trustees would ask Clerk Carmen Heasley to determine how much the raise will cost before voting on the contract. That vote is expected to be at the trustees' meeting Monday.
"It's fine. It's in line with all other townships," Reese said. "I don't anticipate any problems."
Cook added, "We came to terms on everything. I think it's a win-win for everybody."
The agreement was reached after about an hour of negotiations Nov. 26, Reese said.
Issuing paychecks
Issues discussed during the negotiations included the days that paychecks should be issued. The union's contract, approved in 2000, calls for paychecks to be issued on Mondays. The end of the pay period for employees was midnight Fridays.
To issue the checks Mondays, township clerks had to work during the weekends.
Trustees voted earlier this year to change the day paychecks are issued to Thursday so the clerks wouldn't have to work weekends.
The union contract, however, was not changed.
Reese said the day paychecks will be issued has been changed to Thursday in the new contract proposal.
hill@vindy.com