Trumbull County workers act to preserve their jobs

More than 200 Trumbull County government workers have agreed to forgo wage increases at least until Jan. 1, 2007, perhaps paving the way for the rest of the employees to also accept a freeze. We use the word perhaps because the public sector in the Mahoning Valley hasn't exactly blazed any trails when it comes to making concessions.
Indeed, we have long bemoaned the fact that while private sector employees have had to bite the bullet for the past several years, government and other public entities, such as universities and colleges, have continued to give in to the demands of their employees. As a result, more than 80 percent of operating costs are eaten up by wages and benefits.
This, not surprisingly, had led to a taxpayer revolt -- as evidenced by the growing number of revenue issues defeated at the ballot box.
So when the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Locals 2493, 3808 and 3808-A and Ohio Council 8 announced last week that it had reached agreement with the Trumbull County commissioners on the freeze, it was front page news. Why? Because such acts have been rare.
The unions represent employees in the commissioner's, treasurer's, clerk of courts' and recorder's offices. Their current contracts were to expire in July, but now will be extended to July 31, 2006.
While the willingness of the AFSCME and Council 8 to show restraint is worthy of praise, it must be noted that commissioners James Tsagaris, Daniel Polivka and Paul Heltzel did offer a sweetener: the county will be picking up an additional half-percent of the employees' share of public employee retirement contribution. The pick-up will be effective Jan. 1 and will cost the treasury $29,700 a year.
Hoping for the best
Tsagaris, Polivka and Heltzel were understandably pleased with what had transpired, but they also expressed the hope that the unions covering the other county government operations, such as the courts, and the auditor's and prosecutor's offices, will also agree to a wage freeze. The county is in the middle of negotiations with the sheriff's department and the 911 center.
It would certainly surprise us if any one of the remaining unions refused to jump on the concessions bandwagon. After all, the commissioners have made it clear that even with their imposition of two one-quarter percent sales taxes, the county's finances this year will be extremely tight. Layoffs and reduced hours of work will continue to be in effect and every department will have to pinch pennies.
Any pay raises granted now will trigger a public outcry that could result in a referendum vote on the imposed sales taxes. County government workers must prove to the taxpayers that they are cognizant of what has been going on in the real world -- the private sector -- for the past several years and are willing to accept some pain in return for preserving their jobs.