Published Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2011 | 5:58 p.m.
Updated Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011 | 11:39 a.m.
Two unions will see a decrease in wages under agreements that county commissioners will consider next week.
In an e-mail to commissioners, county administrators outlined agreements reached with the Juvenile Justice Supervisors and Assistant Managers Association (26 members) and the District Attorney Investigators Association (20 members).
Total savings from the two pacts comes to about $140,000.
Under the agreement with the Juvenile Justice union, members would see wages reduced by 1.5 percent; forfeit 20 hours of accrued leave; freeze merit pay for 12 months; freeze longevity pay 12 months; and eliminate longevity for new employees.
Members of the District Attorney investigators union would see a 1 percent wage reduction, a 12-month longevity freeze and a permanent $220-reduction to an annual clothing allowance.
The deals highlight differences the county has with its largest employee group, the 3,900-member Service Employees International Union. The union has told the county it does not want to alter longevity pay in any way. Meanwhile, the union is asking for 2 percent merit-pay increases and 2 percent cost-of-living increases in fiscal years 2012 and 2013. The county's offer is for no merit, no cost of living raises and a freeze to longevity pay for one year, while eliminating longevity for new hires.
The SEIU has published contract details -- typically only seen by negotiators -- on its website. Last week, county administrators used those figures to highlight the fact that despite making concessions over the last few years, the SEIU and every other county employee union has seen sizable wage increases.
For example, SEIU employees have seen wages (from merit pay, longevity pay and cost-of-living increases) rise 12.6 percent over three years even while giving concessions equaling about 4.8 percent of their wages. The county‚s 11 unions--not including the police union--have seen average wage increases of about 11 percent over the same time.
The next meeting between county and SEIU negotiators is scheduled for Oct. 27.
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