MetroParks maintenance workers get raise

By Jordyn Grzelewski | June 2, 2016 at 12:02a.m.

CANFIELD

Mill Creek MetroParks will give pay raises to its maintenance and skilled maintenance workers over the next three years.

Under the terms of a recently-approved contract between the MetroParks and its American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union workers, full-time maintenance employees (the MetroParks currently employs 14) will get a 1 percent raise this year, a 1.5 percent raise next year, and a 2 percent raise in 2018.

Depending on the worker’s classification, maintenance workers this year will earn between $15.44 and $19.27 per hour. For skilled maintenance workers, wage rates for 2016 range from $17.91 to $20.81 per hour.

In year two of the contract, maintenance workers will earn between $15.67 and $19.56 per hour.

Skilled maintenance workers will earn an hourly rate of between $18.18 and $21.12.

In 2018, maintenance workers’ hourly wages will increase to between $15.99 and $19.95.

For skilled maintenance employees, wages will increase to between $18.54 and $21.54 per hour.

The raises mark the first for MetroParks AFSCME workers since their 2007-2009 contract, according to information provided by the MetroParks.

The MetroParks wanted to give the AFSCME union a fair contract, human-resources director Megan Millich told The Vindicator.

“They haven’t had a raise in a long time,” she said. “It was just to show good will. They deserve it. They’ve been working very hard.”

The agreement, which was approved by the MetroParks board at its May meeting and is effective from April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2019, also gives AFSCME workers an increased uniform allowance (from $200 per year to $350 per year) and cleans up some language that Millich said previously was disorganized and unclear.

MetroParks Executive Director Aaron Young, who took over leadership of the park district at the start of 2015, previously identified wage increases as something he wanted to introduce since many MCMP staffers had not raises since 2009.

The MetroParks currently is in contract negotiations with its Fraternal Order of Police union employees, Millich said.