AFSCME, officials set new round of pact talks

NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- It's back to the bargaining table for Lawrence County and one of its unions.
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 2902 and county officials are scheduled to meet Sept. 8 to talk about a new contract. The union rejected an offer from the county Tuesday by a vote of 52-0.
The workers had been offered a 2.1 percent pay increase. The union had agreed to accept a less costly health insurance carrier, but the proposed contract called for new employees to pay 20 percent of the cost.
Denise Palkovich, union steward, said wages and paying for health insurance are the two sticking points in the contract.
She said AFSCME employees want the same increase that was granted to Construction and General Laborers' Union Local 964, a 45-cent-an-hour raise.
County Commissioner Dan Vogler pointed out that the other union settled its contract last year under the previous board of commissioners. He said it's not possible to grant those raises now.
"The financial circumstances in August 2004 are ... different from when the prior board entered into that agreement with the other union," Vogler said.
AFSCME represents workers in maintenance, the treasurer's office, controller's office, tax claim bureau, mental health and mental retardation, children and youth services, voters, veterans affairs and county assessor's office.
Palkovich noted that the starting wage for a clerk typist in AFSCME is about $3,250 less than the starting salary for a clerk typist in the other union.
She said that union members understand the county's financial woes, but that the workers should not be penalized.
County officials have said that they are facing a $1.3 million deficit by year's end.
"The problems that are going on right now are not the workers' fault. We come to work every day," she said.
The union's contract expired Dec. 31, 2003, and it has been negotiating with the county since November 2003.
Vogler said he's confident union workers will get a contract.
"To this union's credit they have been willing to consider an alternative health coverage that would be less expensive. My goal is to reach an agreement with these folks. I believe we can ultimately do that," he said.
cioffi@vindy.com