After months of negotiations between the county and the union
representing its workers, the county has agreed to 3 percent raise
this year, which was more than employees were expecting to
receive.
Hollister – After months of negotiations between the county and the union representing its workers, the county has agreed to 3 percent raise this year, which was more than employees were expecting to receive.
Supervisors Tuesday approved the amendment to the employees’ contract, which was negotiated last year by the Salinas-based Service Employees International Union Local 817. The three-year contract gave county employees a 3 percent wage increase in the first year of the contract and a 1 percent increase each year for the two remaining years. Under the amended version, employees will receive a 3 percent increase this year as they did last year, but no increase in 2006.
“The agreement is: They get the already negotiated 1 percent, the 1 percent from the following year and an additional 1 percent,” County Administrative Officer Susan Thompson said. “We came to the agreement through very productive and good-faith bargaining.”
The agreement also precludes further wage increase discussions for the remainder of the contract, which ends September, 2007.
Marti Garza, SEIU Local 817 deputy director, called the contract amendment a victory for county employees trying to keep up with the rising cost of living.
“This is definitely a good step forward in recognizing the value that San Benito County workers provide to the county,” he said. “I think it was sort of ridiculous to expect workers to keep pace with rising costs with just the 1 percent that was on the table.”
Pat Dunn, a county employee and union shop steward who was chairman of the negotiating committee, is also pleased with the new agreement.
“Given the economic times, it is essentially the best contract for both sides,” he said. “Both sides put their heads together and arrived at an agreement that both sides can live with.”
Dunn said he was especially pleased with the additional 1 percent wage increase that the county agreed to give.
“For the county to give us an additional 1 percent is big on their part,” he said. “It was good for morale.”
As for next year, Dunn said that he and his fellow employees are hoping costs don’t rise too much.
“We’ll tighten our belts and do the best we can,” he said.
The 3 percent increase will cost the county about $285,000 this year.
Last month, the county pulled nearly $1.9 million from a reserve fund to balance its $80.9 million budget, leaving about $12 million in reserves. It was the second year in a row the county had to dip into reserves to balance its budget.
Luke Roney covers local politics and the environment for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or at lr****@fr***********.com
