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Longevity pay discussed
By JORDAN A. COHEN
NILES
The chairman of the city council finance committee indicated Wednesday he is receptive to starting a longevity pay scale for Niles’ nonunion employees similar to that enjoyed by their union counterparts.
“I want this addressed because there is a disparity, and it’s too wide,” said Councilman Steve Papalas, D-at large. “We’ve got people with less responsibility making as much if not more than those with [greater] skills and responsibilities” because of longevity pay.
Last week, three city employees asked the finance committee to present an ordinance that would implement longevity similar to the union scale. The committee was to have discussed the issue again Wednesday but delayed action because of the absence of Mayor Ralph Infante. The mayor was out of town for what was described as a “serious family illness.”
Last week, Infante vehemently opposed any non-union longevity scale, claiming that it would increase base pay and warning that the city’s unions, which accepted wage freezes in their current contracts, could go to arbitration if the nonunion workers got more money.
The unions’ longevity pay goes into effect with the sixth year of service and is a percentage of the base wage. The amount multiplies with each service year until a maximum of 25 years. That could mean a pay increase of $5,000 for department heads who have completed 25 years.
Charles Nader, city auditor, said the cost to the city would be $11,600 if the scale is implemented in October for the balance of the year and approximately $46,000 for all of 2012.
Papalas noted during the previous meeting that the city traditionally has given its nonunion people what the unions have. The chairman said he has not yet scheduled any additional committee meetings to discuss the issue.
“I’m sure the mayor will have something to say about this when he returns,” Papalas said.