LAWRENCE COUNTY Officials: A strike won't mar elections

Commissioners want a negotiating session before the strike vote is taken.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- With the threat of a labor union strike looming, Lawrence County commissioners say the general election will not be affected.
"I want to assure the public -- regardless of what transpires-- this board will work to ensure the election will proceed accordingly without disruption," Commissioner Dan Vogler said.
This comes on the heels of members of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 2902, which includes elections workers, announcing that they will take a vote Oct. 13 to decide if they will strike on Nov. 2 -- Election Day.
Wages are the sticking point in the negotiations with employees asking for an increase comparable to other county unions. The others were given 45 cent-per-hour raises. AFSCME officials say they were offered a 2.1 percent increase or a $500 flat raise.
Concerns
Marlene Gabriel, director of Lawrence County Elections, said her office has gotten about a dozen calls since the story broke from people concerned about voting.
"They are worried that if there is a strike there won't be people working at the polls. They are just concerned about getting their voting in," Gabriel said of the calls.
Vogler said he was trying to set up another negotiating session with the union for next week, which he plans to attend. Past negotiating sessions were attended by Susan Quimby, county human resources director, and Charleen Micco, chief clerk/county administrator.
Vogler said he hopes to have the negotiating session before Oct. 13, when the 62-member union is expected to take its strike vote.
"We will not allow this election to be negatively impacted," Vogler said.
Besides elections workers, the union represents employees from the controller's office, assessor's office, mental health, mental retardation, children and youth services, maintenance, switchboard, data processing, planning and veterans affairs.
cioffi@vindy.com