Government unions get retroactive raises

County deputy sheriffs have a new pay scale.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Members of two Lawrence County government unions will see the proceeds of retroactive raises in their next pay checks.
Lawrence County commissioners formally agreed to the contracts Tuesday with two bargaining units of Laborer's District Council of Western Pennsylvania Local 964. The county is still negotiating with a third unit that represents county jail personnel.
Susan Quimby, county human resources director, said members of the two other bargaining units, court related and court appointed, will receive 4.1 percent increases in the first year, and 3.5 percent pay increases in the final two years of the contract.
There are some pay raise exceptions, including county deputy sheriffs, who have a new pay scale. New deputies will be paid $11.50 per hour. Those with one year of experience will get $11.97 per hour; pay for two years will be $13.12 per hour; and those with three or more years' experience will be paid $14.12.
Quimby said some current deputies make more than the scale and will have their pay frozen for the next three years.
Reclassified
Six people in the county prothonotary's office were reclassified as court-related specialists and will receive $2,000 raises this year instead of the 4.1 percent.
Three people in the register and recorder's office were reclassified as recording specialists and will receive a $1,500 raise this year.
Those nine people will then receive 3.5-percent increases in the final two years of the contract, Quimby said.
Judicial aides with 15 or more years of experience working for county district magistrates are getting $1,700 raises this year, and those with five to 14 years will get $1,000 raises, she said. Anyone with four years or less will receive 4.1-percent increases. All will get 3.5-percent increases in the last two years of the contract.
County officials also agreed to increase the amount paid to people who opt not to take county health insurance from $1,200 per year to $1,500 per year, Quimby said.
cioffi@vindy.com