Pay, benefits rise for 8 workers at Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport

Staff report

VIENNA

The Western Reserve Port Authority has granted pay raises averaging 3 percent per year for three years for eight maintenance and operations employees at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport, which the port authority runs.

The increases are 2 percent the first year, beginning March 31, 2015, 3 percent the second year and 4 percent the third year.

The contract with the American Federation of State, County and Muncipal Employees Local 2312 will cost the port authority $5,512 more the first year, $8,590 the second year and $11,897 more the third year.

It raises the lowest-paid technician’s wages from $14.50 per hour previously to $18.51 per hour in the third year.

It increases the highest-paid person, the lead technician, from $17.79 per hour previously to $19.14 per hour in the third year.

Workers also will receive up to $150 if the employee does not use his or her sick leave at any point during the year. The authority also will pay an additional $39.25 per month per employee for expanded life-insurance and vision-care coverage.

Dan Dickten, director of aviation at the airport, said the workers had a wage freeze for the past five years. They each received a 12 percent pay increase over three of those five years, but each contributed 10 percent more of his or her cost of health care, offsetting the pay increase, Dickten said.

The increases “will help keep the [Youngstown] maintenance and operations positions near the average [for similar positions at similar airports] to assist with employee retention,” Dickten said.