NorCo Executive John Brown's proposed 2018 spending plan calls for a two percent across-the-board wage hike for career service personnel. But during budget hearings, Council President John Cusick hinted that he might seek a step increase instead. That's exactly what he did at last night's final budget hearing. He proposed a step increase (about 4.5%) for career service personnel who have four years or more seniority as of of January 1.He noted that many of these workers have remained at step one since they were first hired. The step increase will apply to judicial workers and human services workers. The remaining career service employees will see no raise.
There will be a two per cent increase for part-time professionals like assistant District Attorneys, assistant Public Defenders and the 17 criminal defense lawyers who represent criminal defendants when there is a conflict of interest with the Public Defender.
Cusick's proposal would apply only to nonunion workers, which is about 25% of the county workforce. Union employees have their salaries set as part of a collective bargaining agreement.
"What I see happening here is this: we have people who have worked here for a long time, and then we hire somebody new, and they're at the same pay grade as someone who's been here a significant amount if time. The failure to award steps anywhere along the way has created that inequity."
Remaining career service employees, i.e.those with less than four years seniority or who are already at the top of the pay scale, will see no raise. People at the top will get longevity pay.
"I think it's a great idea," said Peg Ferraro, who said there should be "a little bit of separation" between newer and more experienced workers.
This proposed change to the budget was approved unanimously ,with the final vote scheduled for tonight.
36 comments:
That is not true. If you have worked for four years and got a cumulative 2% pay increase every year you would be making more than a new hire at the same step. Why do they have to sound so stupid. After their loss it would seem the Party of Ferraro and Cusick are trying to buy votes. Word is Ferraro is pissed she was not the top vote getter. We heard she told someone she was pissed at Heckman for getting the most votes.
They should be honest and not claim new hires are paid the same. Just pap for the masses.
Your information is inaccurate, as is often the case with anonymous sources. I personally witnessed Peg Ferraro congratulate Ron Heckman on his first place win, and the two joked about it.
when are you going to realize that the whole personnel wage scale system in Northampton County is a farce. A big joke created by a republican Administration and perpetrated by the Reibman and Stoffa Administration. When was the last time a wage survey of the community was conducted like is mandated in the administrative code or Career Service Manual? It is mandated to make sure Northampton County employees are treated fairly. Brackbill, Reibman and Stoffa screwed the employees and the result was more Unions. I have been here twenty years and have never seen moral so low. Our wages are being eaten up by inflation and we get a crummy 2% wage increase. We have to put food on the table, pay the mortgage, and clothe our kids while trying to save for heir education. Pay us a fair wage. Hopefully Mr. McClure will be fair and look at these wage inequities.
"and have never seen moral so low"
Do you folks realize how old that song is getting? Have you ever heard about the boy who cried wolf?
annon 1:48 must have been drinking the devils water. What nonsense. The post doesn't even make sense.
Each position has a pay scale. On that pay scale there are Steps separated by 4.5%. The issue is that for about the last 8 years, when non union employees were granted a raise they add the raise to each step on the pay scale. That resulted in the employee remaining at the starting step. What that did was allow the county to offer a better starting salary to attract workers, but is damaging for moral of those who were already employees. Thus, a worker with 8 years experience makes the same as someone freshly hired. Many times that same worker helps train the newly hired worker making the same pay. Additionally, union staff through contracts continue to receive steps, leaving their supervisors behind. If they are not going to pay with steps, then remove them and let workers move through the pay scale so this inequity stops occurring. I suspect the county knows the pay scales are too low to attract workers (and now with dwindling benefits) that fixed the low starting salary but created a new issue.
""step increase will apply to judicial workers and human services workers. The remaining career service employees will see no raise."
How is that fair! What about the rest of the non-union! Bull s____!
Whether grue or not, in the provate sector I habe seen the phenomenon where a new grade or a person with 1 year experience can come on board with the same pay as a person w 5 years of continuous employment. Job hopping is becoming the norm for millenials.
Once again the spend thrift Peg Ferraro is willing to spend taxpayer's money without a needs based study. Granted their seems to be inequity in the pay scale, but who knows exactly where? Everybody on this blog has their own version in the inequity, but who is to say which one is right. The new council and executive should be tasked with this mission, using the funds Ferraro wants to blow on the Aquarium project, to fund this initiative. This would be more responsible spending then Panto's fish tank grab. Once again Ferraro and friends want to spend as much taxpayer's money as they can before they go out to pasture.
6:32am:
I am a union member, although I would prefer not to be. I've been employed by Northampton County for over 20 years. My pay scale is paid approximately $5,000 LESS than a non-union employee at the same level.
Can you make any sense of that?
To anonymous post 5:02 AM
you are correct. You are drinking something or maybe smoking something. Everything posted by anonymous 1:48 is accurate. As a long term employee, we have been screwed by prior administrations, not only John Brown. I am not sure what the community survey is about but since everything else in the posting is accurate, I have no doubt that the survey section of the posting is also accurate. Stop smoking whatever it is your on and check out the facts.
If there is a step system throughout the county why do the unions have to negotiate a step for those people already not at the top
"""step increase will apply to judicial workers and human services workers. The remaining career service employees will see no raise."
How is that fair! What about the rest of the non-union! Bull s____!"
The purpose is to offer nonunion workers with some seniority an incentive to stay, and to distinguish them from workers not around as long.
Do you think it's fair for a newbie to get as much money as the 5-year veteran who is training him?
Just once I'd love to see some discussion...with supporting data/metrics...about whether productivity and efficiency justify salary increases in the public sector. The norm seems to be guessing about how inflation has been affecting salaries, and might in the future, and dickering over what employees "deserve". Beyond inflation, pay raises should also reflect increased productivity.
Bernie does this mean career service workers at the prison and gracedale will not get the step increase?
How about a 30 year career service employee making less than a union employee with 10 years service....and having to train said 10 year employee?...where is the incentive?
And yet again 30 of service and still no raise....just because your not considered "human services" or "judicial "
@12:47 you should join the union
From the outside, in the real world, where unions have to go up against corporations who then just move to Bangladesh, this all just looks like rats squabbling over the government cheese left behind, while everyone else is left without recourse or relief competing with India and China, and with the odds against us at the Sands.
Anyone that gets a government check doesn't pay taxes, they receive them.
Once again the Trumpian view of life emerges with anon3:37. I am getting screwed in my job therefore everyone should get screwed. Now let us help those who will create our jobs like they did in th3 1980's.
So I was Union for 8 years and career service for 2 years. Do I qualify for a raise? Does it matter if I'm at Gracedale or the prison?
3:48
Trumpian view?
Is that the new strawman you use to dismiss obvious facts you cannot argue.
It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.
A non union member is not lower than you. Non union are management with a lot more responsibility than you have. If that does not suit you work for a promotion. If you have been there 20 years you should have the skills for a higher position.
10 years as a career service employee and still not topped out. So why did not all of us get 4-1/2%. Not fair to ALL!
Its about time...no step raises for over 10 yrs for some. They should however, give the appropriate step raises to all and continue as the charter states.
5:57
Take a look at a pay scale and you will see that not ALL non-union employees are management. Take a look at the professional staff.
I do have the skills for a higher position but will remain in my professional position for reasons that have no bearing on this matter.
The facts are that since the time I was forced into the union the pay differential in the same pay grade has accumulated to approximately $5,000.
"""step increase will apply to judicial workers and human services workers. The remaining career service employees will see no raise."
Bernie, you are more knowledgeable on the Career Service Regulations than I, although I have read over them several times. I don't recall seeing anything in there that distinguishes one group of Career Service employees from another group. The CSR applies to all CS employees does it not?
I am wondering if it is possible under the CSR to separate groups of CS employees for raises or other benefits. It seems like a slippery slope to me.
Do you feel as though a CS employee would have a chance in the grievance process concerning the separation of CS employees for the purposes of raises?
This question was reviewed by Phil Lauer, who concluded it is legal to have these separate classes.
Any idea what his decision was based on? Clearly they disregarded the CSR. I guess short of obtaining an lawyer we are screwed.
It’s pretty clear that the decision was based on the need to create a separation between workers who have seniority and those who do not. There should be a separation, and I agree withh this completely.
I will give you the seniority, I am speakimg specifically about it going only to Judicial and Human Services CS employees. What about the others that don't fall under those 2 classifications with 4 plus years in the CS?
The raise applies to everyone with four years of seniority, not just HS or judicial.
The raise applies 5o all C-SPANRADIO with four years, regardless where they work.
Thanks for the clarification, I must have misunderstood the article.
Go seek a better job.
Can someone please tell me how a Council secretary gets 96k a year? You can give it all the titles you want but it's still a secretarial job. How about dropping a few crumbs for the rest of us.
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