Warren workers OK new contract

By Ed Runyan

runyan@vindy.com

WARREN

Two hundred city employees represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees have approved a three-year contract that calls for a wage freeze and a lower pay scale for new employees.

The scale will pay new workers 60 percent of prevailing wage for the first year, 67.5 percent in the second year, 75 percent in the third year, 82.5 percent in the fourth year and 90 percent in the fifth year.

Under the previous agreement, workers received 75 percent of prevailing wage in the first year, 100 percent in four years.

Gary Cicero, Warren human-resources director, said the scale will save the city about $5,000 per year per employee in Local 74, which represents 180 laborers, clerical workers and foremen.

The scale will save the city about $10,000 per year per employee in Local 2501, a management union representing 20 workers.

It’s not easy to say how many employees will be hired at the new wage in the next three years, but eight members of the bargaining unit have been on layoff since Jan. 1, 2009, and would have to be rehired before the city could hire any new workers, Cicero noted.

Existing workers make $22.65 per hour ($47,112 annually) for a sanitarian supervisor in the health department to $15.11 per hour ($31,429 annually) for a clerk/typist or laborer.

New hires in those positions will max out at $20.36 per hour ($42,400 per year) for a sanitarian supervisor in the health department to $13.60 per hour ($28,286 annually) for a clerk/typist or laborer.

Both unions approved the agreements recently after a month of negotiations. They are retroactive to Jan. 1. The last approval needed is from city council, said Doug Franklin, Warren safety-service director. That approval is likely to take place next week, he said.

The city continues to negotiate with four unions representing workers in the police and fire departments, plus the Policies and Procedures management unit, Franklin said.

“We’re hoping to go in this direction with the other unions,” Franklin said. “Contracts like this allow us to manage our revenue-shortfall challenges and provide quality service to our residents.”

Franklin, who has stated his intent to run for mayor this year, said he thinks the agreement will help the city avoid layoffs over the next three years.

The city has about 400 employees overall.

Debbie Bindas, a representative for AFSCME Council 8, could not be reached to comment.