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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Two NorCo Unions to Get 14% Wage Hikes Over Three Years

As a result of arbitration, two Northampton County unions may soon have contracts guaranteeing members a 14% wage hike over the next three years. The arbitration affects court-appointed nonprofessionals as well as the residual unit, which includes most of the clerical staff in the row offices, as well as the custodial and maintenance departments. Those working at the Juvenile Justice Center were entitled to binding arbitration, and Executive John Brown agreed in writing to honor the ruling insofar as it impacts other employees. This contract was voted on by union members last night, and should go to County Council next week.

The county had argued against any wage increases or step movements in 2014 or 2015. It was willing to pay a 1% wage hike in 2016 and 1.5% in 2017, with no step movement in either year.

The arbitration panel agreed with no pay hike or step increase in 2014. But it directed a 5% wage hike effective July 1, 2015. In 2016 and 2017, employees will move up a step, with translates to about 4.5% per year. Over three years, it is a 14% pay hike.

Employees who are already at the top step will get $1,750 lump sum payments in 2016 and 2017.

In addition to the wage hikes, the County will be required to purchase gap health insurance throughout the life of the contract.

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

We the county taxpayers take it up the arse while the public trough feeders suck up more money. That is disgusting. Regular people are suffering and losing their homes. These county goldbrickers are raping the taxpayers with these ridiculous raises.

Anonymous said...

When u go educate yourself to how much these workers get paid then you see that this increase was justified. That is what an arbitrator does. These people are all in the same boat as private employees. Wake up!

Anonymous said...

12:5M you can take it you have a big are!

Anonymous said...

Great news, raises to a well deserved group of people and yet I would never work for that amount of money. I only wish that they received more than a few % points, what about all the years they had 0% increases. They will never catch up.

Anonymous said...

So far 12:51 is the only sensible poster. Totally ridiculous increases.

Anonymous said...

another liberal gives in to useless union crybaby pukes. where I come from you have to earn your keep - not just simply have it handed to you for no reason.

Anonymous said...

Norco unions are just greedy parasites completely out of touch with reality

Anonymous said...

Taxpayers lose again. Binding arbitration is a racket. Brown (and his labor counsel) was a fool for agreeing to give the same award to the non binding residual unit.

Anonymous said...

This only catches those poor folks up to what other counties are paying their workers. What's the worry anyway, all of the high dollar earners were forced into retirement.

Anonymous said...

Crybabies?!?! The county workers work very hard and some of them are misclassified...which makes them way underpaid next to their counterparts! However, they still come to work and work their butts off! I find it funny that the "taxpayers" as it's put think that the county workers are paid so well...the funny part of that is aren't the county workers taxpayers as well?! Oh and the top people are the only ones that are making the BIG bucks! The lowly row office workers and many of the other offices are still way under paid! Get your facts right when passing judgement! Brown is not filling positions like they are so needed so that in turn makes the offices have to work even harder to take care of the public that comes into the courthouse to handle their business. At the wages they offer makes it a harder pill to swallow! I've been to the courthouse and see how low moral is since Brown went into office...it's pathetic! No one is happy anymore the moral is very low. The wage increase was due! I know some workers after 10 years are just hitting $13/hr with the new raise...that's just sad!

Anonymous said...

spoiled lazy brats feeding of off the hard working taxpayers

Anonymous said...

r8:45,

Let them try to find happiness and high morale elsewhere. These slackers can't cut it in the real world. Learn how to spell.

Anonymous said...

For those who complain, do you really think no county employee has never lost their home? do you understand that they live pay check to pay check, just like persons in the private sector. These people work hard, and if they didn't your County Government would not be able to function. That would be grave disservice to the Tax payer. There should never be any worker in America, that has to work an entire day, just to buy 1 tank of gas.
Those who cry and complain about the County worker, either you don't work or simply don't want to see anyone benefit to rise above the bear minimum, needed for survival.
Every day that you go to the grocery store, you see that products are shrinking in size, and rising in cost. The workers of America cannot continue to have their salaries shrink, while cost of food, clothing, rent, and taxes continue to rise.
Stop hating on the County workers.

Anonymous said...

No one is happy anymore the moral is very low.

Nobody subpoenaed them to work there.

Anonymous said...

sounds like some people need to stop responding to this blog and look for a better job, I however will continue to surf the web while enjoying my fat raise.

Anonymous said...

the county workers ARE taxpayers too!! That is what is forgotten when you pass judgment! Get off your ass and get a job and stop crying because NorCo workers finally got a small increase in their wages. They are barely making ends meet and some have to go out and get second jobs just to try to help pay the bills. No, no one subpoenaed them to work there but it is a job.

E Mest said...

Finally justification for my former co-workers! Bravo. I'm happy for all of you

Anonymous said...

Brown and his "high performance team" strike out again!! They were incapable of making an argument to persuade the arbitrator that they raises were ridiculously high given those awarded others in both the public and private sectors. On the other hand, the unions have won nothing. The net result of paying for these contracts will be to hire less employees. Vacancies will not be filled, and work will double up for those survivors still on the job. So this award is a LOSE-LOSE proposition in the end for workers and taxpayers.

Bernie O'Hare said...

My guess is that some of the venom being spewed at county workers is coming from Tricia Mezzacappa, who can't hold a job more than thirty seconds and was rejected by the county.

Caitlyn Mezzacappa said...

Bernie, I'm just a little long-faced because Caitlyn, formerly known as Bruce, has softer features than I.

Anonymous said...

"My guess is that some of the venom being spewed at county workers is coming from Tricia Mezzacappa, who can't hold a job more than thirty seconds and was rejected by the county."

Not really. It is by people who find it amusing to read your words. You are the one who dammed and condemned public unions and said they should be abolished. You claimed they were evil.
Of course that was when your boys Stoffa and Angle were being attacked. Alrighty then!

Bernie O'Hare said...

Mezzacappa, Stay off this blog. Tomorrow you wre due in court and I shall notify Pretrial Services of your antics. My position concerning public sector workers has been consistent, although I became more union-oriented after seeing a Bethehem officer railroaded off the force. I have always stood for a living wage and good benefits. I backed emplyees when two of them were unlawfully fired. I backed employees when some were getting sick from all the construction at the courthouse. I did not back the bullying of a Human Resources Director and did not back deputies who complained about getting overtime for providing security at football games.

Anonymous said...

Non Union workers at NEVER GOING to catch up! We lose more and more every day. Wake up and quit begging and get a union. You really think the administration cares what we make? The council, JB and Co and our Administration don't even think twice about us. The only way they are going to see us is if we organize.

Anonymous said...

So I'm a County worker for over 20 years and still not at top my pay scale due to all the ways the scale has been screwed with over the years. So John Brown when will Career service employees get a raise? Past County Execs. have given raises to Career Service same as Unions received. We are all in the same boat raising families and trying to make ends meet and getting nowhere. We all work hard and have pride in doing our jobs and helping others.

Anonymous said...

@9:20.......do you mean the same career service employees who got a RAISE as Executive Stoffa was leaving office and Executive Brown was taking office and most of the union employees were working without a contract??? The career service employees were very quick to gloat about Mr. Stoffa's gift as he was hitting the door while the unions were forced to work without a contract. Numerous career service employees left union jobs to take those career service jobs so now you must deal with the consequences. Just a word of advice from a county government worker with over 2 decades of service.........never flee the protection of a union especially when good benefits and a fair wage are of utmost importance.

Anonymous said...

10:52, spot on! also, isn't it funny how those career service people were laughing at the union employees, who were waiting YEARS to settle contracts, praising how great it was to be non-union and not having to pay dues. truth is, up until now, career service always have gotten a little more than the unions due to county execs shoving it up the unions nose. THEY HAD NO PROBLEM LETTING THE UNION EMPLOYEES TAKE THE HEAT AT COUNTY COUCIL MEETINGS LAST YEAR WHILE THEY HID IN THE SHADOWS BY STAYING AT HOME. that's why ALL employees should all stick together AT ALL TIMES. but, that will never happen.

Anonymous said...

Have an extra shot of vodka in your cocoa this evening. You'll need your energy tomorrow in court, sweetie. Read em and weep. The weather is kind of foul - you may want to take the 4WD, if you dare. lol

Stoffa, Angle, Kelly, Christy, Peter, Bernie - are these people on one of those caged wheels in your mind, running and making it go round and round?

Anonymous said...

You folks trusted Stoffa and you got burned. When he first ran he told all the unions he would go to binding arbitration then he reneged on his promise after he was elected. He screwed you like he screwed the Gracedale employees. Yet here you are believing that this guy O'Hare really gives a crap about you. This is all about his hatred of Brown.

When Steve Barron brought the hidden report of, ignored asbestos dust to county council, O'Hare attacked Steve. Yeah he really cares about employees.,
Remember this is the Same O'Hare that tag teamed with Stoffa and Angle tearing down county employees.

You don't have to be cra-cra mezzacappa to know this. Most union leaders are well aware of the hypocrisy..

Anonymous said...

"Yet here you are believing that this guy O'Hare really gives a crap about you. This is all about his hatred of Brown."

Yea, I don't read a local political news blog with the hope that the writer cares about me. I have family and friends, thank you very much. I am grateful for the info provided on this blog. And the fact that he hates Brown as much as I do is just icing on the cake.

Anonymous said...

@ 10:52AM. Yeah, like 3% is really close to 14% raise. Get real !

Anonymous said...

@ 11:08am I find it hilarious that you claim career service people were laughing at Union workers?? What proof do you have of this? You really shouldn't assume things like this, it only makes you look like a &#(#( Hole !

Anonymous said...

1:15 this was awarded to us by an arbitrator because the administration failed to make a reasonable offer or negotiate in good faith. not much difference between your 3% and my 4.5% avereage over the life of the contract.

Anonymous said...

1:17, I am a current county employee with 25 years of service, and can tell you, without a doubt, in my office career service people were shoving it up our noses about the stoffa raises, while he told the unions whose contracts were about to expire at the end of 2013 "too bad" and let brown deal with it. so, it is no assumption d---head.