Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure advised County Council last night that his administration is participating in a pay study being conducted by Cumberland County. In exchange for county data on salaries and benefits, Cumberland will share its pay study.
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
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Friday, June 03, 2022
37 comments:
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That is not good enough. You can't compare that region of the state with the industrial area of Northampton County, just like you can't compare Potter County to Philadelphia. We are in the New York/Philadelphia market and our cost of living here is much greater than Cumberland County area. McClure should do the right thing and conduct his own pay study. Council should tell McClure to shove his study where the sun don't shine. This is another of his stupid blunders to screw the work force. I can't believe Council went along with this bullshit. Shame on them.
ReplyDeleteWhy is McClure so set against doing his own independent study? This is a case of comparing apples and oranges. I can't believe the Judges would go along with this lunacy.
ReplyDeleteCumberland County?? Is this McClure trying to short circuit th councils plan to do a pay study? He does tend to try and sabotage anything that is not his idea.
ReplyDeleteLeave it to McClure to leech off another county, continue to underpay his staff, but hey business owners, here’s another check from the CARES Act fund!
ReplyDeleteWhat a turd.
Too little, too late. Most of the employees have already gone elsewhere and are not looking back. When are they going to realize and wake the hell up that the pay is not the only reason why staff seek employment elsewhere. It is the administration!!!!
ReplyDeleteReally? Most of the employees have gone elsewhere? So what few County offices remain open are down to skeletal crews? Are County Courts still open? Most public services, parks and amenities shut down because "most employees have gone elsewhere?" R u a drama queen or what?
DeleteDrama queen?? You live under rock. Nobody wants to work under this administration jackass. Take a look at GD and how many openings they have. Get a clue
DeleteI think our fine host should be able to address this. He has lots of contacts in the County.
DeleteHey 9:07 am... aka Former Elections Registrar... It's really not the administration. It was you. Please just focus on your job with the senator now. Hard work was not for you cupcake!
ReplyDeleteThere is no harm in waiting to see the results and then deciding. Lori loves more information so she is gonna get it!
ReplyDeleteThis is just a way for him to say he did something. Comparing us to another county were cost of living and homes are in two different worlds. Let's nip this one in the bud when he comes out shooting his mouth off about Harrisburg. NOT IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY...
ReplyDeleteApril's median price for a home in Carlisle (Cumberland) $295K per Realtor.com.
ReplyDeleteApril's median price for a home in Bethlehem (Northampton/Lehigh) $269K per Realtor.com.
Cumberland ain't the sticks that LV hicks with their cute cost of living think it is. The numbers would figure to skew higher than NorCo. But using available data and horse trading for information is a rare piece of responsible government. And I despise McClure, who is correct less often than his microwave clock which constantly blinks 12:00 because he can't figure out how to set it.
What a cop-out. A Northampton County pay study needs to be a Northampton County pay study. More shenanigans by McClueless.
ReplyDelete@9:27 you obviously haven’t been paying attention. The County website has numerous vacancies, most being from Gracedale. R u an idiot or what?
ReplyDeleteI have posted before related to options to see and share all county homes salaries and benefits. In addition locally Lehigh county did salary studies with nursing homes and hospitals and shared information with all who participated to get an accurate local picture of the competition. It is incredible that a proposal would be made with one county not even similar to our area competition. Call cedarbrook and see if they still do it. If not do it yourself. It's easy to do and everyone participated because everyone received a copy of the finished product.
ReplyDeleteThe taxpayers owe You nothing.Dojr like the pay? GO ELSEWHERE WE OWE You NOTHING
ReplyDeleteThe cost of living is higher here than Cumberland County. How about a real pay study Lamont.
ReplyDeleteCounty employees have benefit and retirement packages most find enviable. Many workers find county pay and benefits very attractive. I Would hate to see tax payer money wasted on a pay study. Starting pay for service, clerical, and trade occupations are traditionally lower in private sector jobs.
ReplyDeleteCumberland is gathering data from several counties and will share its results. It will not just be the data from Cumberland. Thus should make a pay study here, which is way overdue, less expensive.
ReplyDeleteMaybe a pay study wouldn't be necessary if movement through the payscale was automatic and not a gift from the executive? Being on step 2 of the payscale after 10 years is a slap in the face. This goes back multiple administrators now and is the main problem with NORCO pay.
ReplyDeleteBINGO!
DeleteState employees have a scale like we do and, lo and behold, they get a step each year and then negotiate for more increases if they are able to. A state employee in my exact same job makes $4000 more to start.
DeleteWho needs a pay study? With the cost of living in America rising 10%+, most working people expect to receive a bump-up of at least that amount. Anything less will not satisfy.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, the data will show that the county employees are way underpaid, and the facts that they have good benefits shouldn’t matter. All Americans should have equal or better benefits, and they will get them as they start to fight for them. Starting salary should be $25 an hour, and the more technical positions should start at $40 an hour.
ReplyDelete"Thus should make a pay study here, which is way overdue, less expensive."
ReplyDeletemoreover, the results can be adjusted to reflect variables like cost of living
i don't quite understand why people cite the current administration as so onerous. I worked for Northampton County for 34 years and saw many administrations come and go. It is what it is folks. I just did my job as best I could and enjoyed the benefits that were offered. The benefits were good and unless you had major illnesses you end up at retirement with a lot of unused sick time that translate into cash. That is if you don't wake up in morning and decide too often you don't feel like going in that day. With so many job openings out there, you need to find a place that meets your expectations. Or retrain to increase your employment opportunities. And if you believe you are trapped there for some reason, find your passion outside of work. Oh. and avoid the griper and negative people as they will increase your misery. I have also noticed over the years that those with the fullest bellies are the biggest complainers. Think about it. Gratitude is not the worst thing to cultivate.
ReplyDeleteOnly want what was ADVERTISED!!! When we took the job offer... Nothing more AND DEFINITELY NOT LESS!!!
DeleteProblem Solved!!!
DR,OZzzzzzzz 👏🍾
ReplyDeleteI continue to be amazed that people think they should get huge raises every year. A step raise is approximately 5 percent and a cost of living raise is also given each year at anywhere from 1.5 to 3 plus percent. How many people in the world get 7 percent raises every year not based on merit/ performance? Change the antiquated pay to a fair initial wage and after that based on merit cost of living. The harder you work the more raise you get. No incentives today as people think they should get huge raises based on nothing. Part of what's wrong today. Everyone thinks they deserve things. What happened to performance based advancement . Lastly how do you think those raises get funded? We all pay more for services products and taxes. Get rid of step raises so people stop expecting something for nothing. Employees say they haven't had raises but cost of living raises are indeed raises at a rate most people get
ReplyDelete9:32 AM
ReplyDeleteWow I guess you think 2.35 hr is fair wages for waiters and waitresses? Maybe you believe 10.00 hr is good enough for most city workers and then if they walk on water they can get a 5% raise. The problem with your thinking is that it is outdated a cost of living raise is to bring your wages to equal inflation. Then anything above the COL is the real incentive. We need to tax those who make over 500k and business, and churches tax rates that were enforced back in the Fifties, then there will be a surplus to pay the common worker what they deserve. Plus good benefits and a defined pension plan.
The county has a pension plan. Something most people don't get. They get excellent benefits. I of course don't think what you accuse me of. But I also believe work hard and get raises based on merit. I was a county worker so I speak from experience. Since our President has killed the economy doesn't mean businesses can all afford to keep up with inflation. If you read the post I said initial salary should be a fair amount. My father a WW2 vet taught me how to work hard and go for the American dream. I'm not wealthy but I paid my bills by working hard and not handouts.
ReplyDeleteWas a pay study done, before
ReplyDeletethe INFLATION??
Doesn't take a HIGH PAID... Connected Relative... to figure this out?!!!
Anything and Everything... But LET ME TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE, THAT PUT ME, HERE!!
TO MUCH TO ASK FOR, HUH?
When I started working for the County, I was told what my benefits were and what my hourly wages would be. I want nothing more and of course I want nothing less. Since I became a full time County employee, my wages were attached to "co-pay" for my benefits. That resulted in paying as much as 5% of my paycheck for medical benefits. That is a 5% pay cut in my salary. Now I am ready to retire and the County just told me that I have to pay another charge that I never paid to insure my spouse or other dependents. That is another charge that was considered part of my salary when I was hired. That is a reduction in my pension. Next month McClure can raise those amounts to 20 or 30 percent and you say this is okay? How many of you are willing to take 5% pay cuts while getting 2% in COLA'S. It will take you 2 1/2 years just to get even in your wages. You can't keep treating your employees like crap and expect them to be good loyal employees. Just give me what you promised me when I was hired. PLEASE.
ReplyDeleteVery very few places let you even have healthcare after you retire
Delete"Fair wages" are what individuals decide to accept each day they show up for work. I've left several jobs when I determined the wage was unacceptable. "Unfair" indicates an individual hopelessness that simply doesn't exist. If you think your pay is unfair, it is you who are being unfair to yourself and those you might support.
ReplyDeleteI can guarantee you Lamont knows all the county in this so called study . And likes the way Northampton is gonna look in the outcome of it.
ReplyDeleteHe wouldn't have been giggling and jiggling so much if he didn't know.
Plus remember we won't know witch set of numbers are northampton county. Only Cumberland. All other counties are anonymous. So they can come out and say Northampton is the highest paid.
5:26 - tax the rich eh? I'm paying 37% already, how much more would you like? If you want to tax the rich the folks making 500k shouldn't be your target. Aim higher, it's the Musk, Bezos, Cuban, Soros, Buffett etc. crowd you should be looking at.
ReplyDelete500k does not let you fly a helicopter to work let alone own one. After diverting most of that income to retirement, savings, college plans there isn't enough left to hire a lobbyist to help lower my tax burden.