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Lawrence Co. to ask 2 unions for concessions
County employees also won’t get any holiday pay this year.
NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Lawrence County commissioners will ask the two unions that represent about half the county’s employees to give up the 3 percent 2010 cost-of-living increase their contracts provide.
The request is part of the commissioners’ attempt to cut the 2010 budget wherever they can in anticipation of what Commissioner Richard DeBlasio said may be another rough year with a possible $1 billion state deficit by July 1.
Commissioners already announced they will raise county property taxes next year but have not announced the amount of the increase.
The county would be affected by a state deficit because state funding for many programs is channeled through the county. When state funding dries up, as it did during the state budget stalemate this summer and fall, the county must still provide services such as protective services to children through Children & Youth Services. They must draw from local funds to do this, however.
The commissioners will send a letter to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and Laborers Union Local 964 bargaining units asking them to vote on the matter. Once the unions respond, commissioners will decide what to do about COLA increases for nonunion and management employees in 2010.
Initial reaction was negative. Some employees expressed outrage the county would ask them to give up their COLA on the heels of being laid off Thanksgiving week and with another layoff planned for Christmas week.
The commissioners imposed the layoffs to try to avoid a budget shortfall for the end of this year.
Liz Micolletti, a shop steward for Local 964 stated, “I am not happy with any of this. The troubles of Lawrence County should not be put on the backs of the employees.”
During the commissioners’ caucus meeting Thursday, Prothonotary Helen Morgan said she thought that employees were going to be paid for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays even though they were laid off for the week. The way the layoff is set up, however, the employees will not receive their holiday pay.
In other action this week, commissioners accepted the bid of ESB Bank, which will provide a $3.95 million tax-anticipation note in January at a 3.45 percent fixed rate of interest. The money is needed to get the county through the first part of the year until tax receipts start coming in.