Workers reject report on wages, health care

Workers have been under a contract extension for a year.
By DEBORA SHAULIS
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning County Child Support Enforcement Agency workers want a pay increase that will "soften the blow" of their new 10 percent payments toward health insurance costs, a union negotiator says.
Members of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3577, representing about 70 CSEA workers, voted Monday night on a fact-finder's report on wages and health care. It was "almost unanimously defeated," AFSCME staff representative James Adams said Tuesday.
Mahoning County commissioners accepted that report last Thursday.
The union can go on strike, "but we're not looking down that road," Adams said. "Hopefully we'll get back to the table soon and come to a meeting of the minds."
James Petraglia, the county's human resources director, said it remains to be seen whether negotiations will continue. County leaders are "evaluating all options," he said, declining to be more specific.
Local 3577 has been working under a contract extension since December 2004, when the previous agreement expired. Members accepted a wage freeze for 2005, Adams said.
Recommendations
The fact finder's report recommended a 1.5 percent across-the-board wage increase in 2006, as well as the county picking up a 0.5 percent state-mandated increase in employees' contributions to Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, Adams said.
The fact finder also granted union members 1 percent across the board wage increases to start 2007, with another 1 percent raise and 0.5 percent PERS payment pickup in July 2007.
As for health insurance, the fact finder said employees should contribute 10 percent toward premiums without a limit on the dollar amount, Petraglia said. Under the county's new four-tier benefits system with Medical Mutual of Ohio, employees would pay $106.50 per month for family coverage, $100 for an employee and spouse, $93 for an employee with children and $50 for single-person coverage, he said.
"We want to achieve some kind of across the board [wage] increase that can offset the 10 percent copay," Adams said.
There's more behind Local 3577's rejection of the fact finder's report, Adams said. First, 66 percent of CSEA's annual budget is reimbursed from federal funding that is passed through state governments, so the county ultimately pays only 34 percent of the department's costs. CSEA workers want to pay 10 percent of the county's share of their health insurance, not on the entire amount, Adams said.
Dollar cap wanted
Also, when negotiations began a year ago, the county proposed a 10 percent copay with a dollar cap. Local 3577 made a verbal commitment to accept that but didn't sign off, Adams said. Then the county's position changed, and the dollar cap disappeared, he said.
What changed was the makeup of the county commissioners, Petraglia said. Anthony Traficanti and John McNally IV replaced former commissioners Vicki Allen Sherlock and Ed Reese last January. Traficanti, McNally and David Ludt have said they want consistency among all county employees in terms of health insurance contributions.
The county's position on health care is tied to claims and increasing costs, Petraglia said. Having all employees pay the same amount is "a fair way to fund our claims fund," he said.
shaulis@vindy.com