Although a recent job study concludes that NorCo nonunion employees are paid competitively, this analysis failed to include union workers who make up about 66% of the county workforce. One of these union workers (from Human Services) sent me an email yesterday complaining that Human Services workers are underpaid. This person observes that Exec Lamont McClure himself acknowledges that wages for low-and-middle income employees have failed to keep up with the rising cost of living. Here's what I'm told:
I need to remain anonymous, but it might be worth looking into the current contract negotiations between Children, Youth and Families and Northampton County. County Human Services employees are grossly underpaid compared to other counties. Yet Lamont sends this in his monthly county employee newsletter:
Blogger's Note: The Human Services Committee will meet today at 5 pm.
Yes, they are underpaid, no that won't change. Council chickened out of doing unions jobs under pressure by McClure. As long as McClure and the current union bosses are in bed together, pay will not keep up with our cost of living.
ReplyDeleteThe story about the apartments is important. He would rather get on the good boy list with these builders then pay a wage that allows county employees to actually afford the rent of these unaffordable places.
Despite Mr. Barron's snarky comments about pay last month, council needs to stay on this issue since the entire employee pay system in the county is broken. Except if you are a favored administrator.
Please stop buying this administrations' BS. Please!
Union employees doing what they do best. Whining. Politicians doing what they do best. Screwing people. It never ends.
ReplyDeleteLots of anti-union discussion here... hard to believe that we're seeing more folks buying into this trend. Remember, the unions helped create a middle class in this country, and gave rise to home ownership, sustainable living, and opportunity for so many in modern America.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame to seeing a growing drumbeat of anti-unionism these days, however, it's not surprising as the GOP continues to erode the working class, while at the same time pitching them their savior-in-chief.
I agree with the anonymous source here, and have seen the foster care system personally... we need to ensure these folks who are entrusted with the care of our most vulnerable at the times of their greatest need paid what they're worth, and have manageable caseloads... this way we can uplevel the talent we attract to these important jobs. As sadly, when we underpay these folks, it is hard to attract and retain a quality workforce in a critically challenging role.
As sad as this is it's been going on for decades. Social workers often require a master's degree and often are paid the lowest salaries. Not sure why
DeleteSimple solution
ReplyDeleteUnion board members-which are your elected colleagues- should perform a wage study of human services in surrounding counties and present it to Council.
Show the proof and you have my support as a taxpayer
What a lot of people don't understand with that pay study. The study showed a large group of employees at step 3 or below. Please show the years of service for those employees. When you have someone with 6 years of service and still on step 3 . It happens. Look at the jail. 13 years on step 5. 18 years on step 9. It is just the way northampton County has learned to do business. Make your budget on the backs of the employees. The public and employees are told by Lamont and afscme bosses that no money there for raises. But then cuts the county budget by 3.5%. So the money was there just cut out to look good to his constituents. It is a shame. I sat in that court room 1 when county council and Lamont stood up there fighting for union shops to get county jobs. And that they get good wages for that job. Which support safe working conditions with knowledgeable employees. But when it comes to county union employees screw them. Here's your offer take it or arbitration and we are gonna screw you worse.
ReplyDeleteA problem is the old county structure doesn't work anymore. Giving 8 percent raises, (step and cost of living), is no longer attainable. I said this 15 years ago. Change to a hire at a competitive wage and offer only cost of living as the private sector does. The purpose of steps were to reward long term employees. Unfortunately you can't have long term employees with the low starting wage. It's a different world and the pay scale has to change with it.
DeleteMaybe start collecting the correct amount of taxes to ensue NorCo has the money to properly pay their employees.
ReplyDeleteOr just start a union for all to receive a living salary.
Exactly my point
ReplyDeleteScrew Afcsme
Have your union president, stewards,etc see what Human Service employees in surrounding counties are making with 1 year service, 2, 3,4,5 and on years of service and provide it to Council.
Your years of service and what step you are on is irrelevant
If a person with 4 years of service in Lehigh is making the same salary as you with 3 years of service on step 2 then you are overpaid
Do yourself a favor don't ever compare northampton and lehigh County when it comes to salaries. Can tell this person doesn't know anything. Lol.
Delete"Anonymous ChangeAgent said...
ReplyDeleteLots of anti-union discussion here... "
Your was just the third comment and one of the two before you was pro-union. Stop being an idiot. Read and comprehend before you show the rest of us how compulsive and dumb you are.
Nobody is really overpaid or underpaid. Everyone is paid exactly what they'll accept to show up each day - from pro athletes to domestic help. Feeling underpaid is a momentary condition that is solved by leaving. If you're not quitting, you're willing to accept the wage you're being paid, and are just an unmotivated whiner - whether you're a pro-athlete or domestic help. I think most Americans understand this. Most Americans like to complain, though. It's our national pastime.
ReplyDeleteOMG. Stop with the pay studies and comparisons , give your employees what they are asking for because the county can afford to.
ReplyDeleteStop the erosion of good solid employees leaving and less qualified being brought in, only to become short timers . This has been the problem for years…pay good workers to stay!
Every office has vacancies, the pay is too low. McClure needs to raise taxes to keep qualified people. Has McClure ever called the tax office, your on hold listening to music for 2 minutes then a recording comes on saying there is no one to take your message, please leave a message. You leave a message and no one calls you back.
ReplyDeleteMcClure should call the civil division where no one answers the phone. What good is not raising taxes when you can’t even get basic services.
What about the longevity checks? Is this not counted as pay? How about take them away and spread it out over the yr rather then a lump sum every yr or what about 30 days a yr PTO and 14 sick days a yrs, almost every holiday off(except for Gracedale and the jail.) Union employees never want to talk about all the perks just the pay. As someone else already stated you times value is controlled by what you are willing to except for it. Want more? Can't get it here? Move on, it's what grown ups do.
ReplyDelete6:09
ReplyDeleteOk Give employees everything they want
Then the County should give every County resident a $3000 stipend like it did to Judge Smith’s family for funeral costs
But taxpayers paid before employees
2:36 am, IT's probably worth checking offices to see how long it takes them to respond to inquiries. But some people, particularly those who post at 2:36 am, may be a tad unbalanced. You talk about unanswered calls to the tax office and civil. This tells me you are probably behind on property taxes and involved in litigation. Your perception of what is reasonable might itself be unreasonable.
ReplyDeleteSorry Bernie but that post was 100% true. Those departments are so severely understaffed that they cannot serve the public properly.
Delete"As sad as this is it's been going on for decades. Social workers often require a master's degree and often are paid the lowest salaries. Not sure why"
ReplyDeleteThat's simply untrue. If you want to argue for more money, do so but don't lie and say you are paid the lowest salaries because you're not. Custodians make the least money and are generally the nicest people. Most clerks are paid far less than a CYF worker. So be honest.
If CYF workers in NorCo make less than they do in other counties, post the data from those other counties. Your union has it. I am certain of that. That would be fair.
I think everyone is underpaid. McClure has tackled a lot of issues, but I'd argue that he take a hard look at the pay structure and number of vacancies. Check to see if services are suffering, as one person suggested (at 2:36 am). The pay study suggested that steps be restructured and be awarded annually. A large %age if the nonunion workforce is stuck in the first three steps. Is this true of the union workforce? If so, that needs to be addressed.
But don't post garbage so easily refuted. It seems to me that the more educated people often are the most stupid.
I think they are underpaid. A custodian doesn’t require a Bachelors degree and public welfare certification. Neither does a clerk. C’mon Bernie get real. The COs at the jail, the deputies at the coroners office, and the CYS folks deserve more money. If you got 15 yrs on the job you should be making more than a newbie. AFCSME is the problem. They suck. They just lost representing all the state parole agents. They lost the state COs years ago. They’re more interested in using employees dues for national politics. They’re corrupt. They couldn’t care less about the people they represent. Get rid of them!
DeleteShould have clarified as compared to others with masters degrees........sorry to get you all upset. Obviously wasn't stating they are the lowest paid in all categories. In fairness this was not clear
DeleteAs a Northampton county employee, CYF case workers are the angels of this county. If we ever decide to pay them a six-figure salary, I wouldn’t blink an eye because they absolutely deserve that amount for the job they do, and what they have to endure on an everyday basis with families.
ReplyDeleteTalk to any clerk. They are severely underpaid and in turn understaffed.
ReplyDelete"Should have clarified as compared to others with masters degrees........sorry to get you all upset. Obviously wasn't stating they are the lowest paid in all categories. In fairness this was not clear"
ReplyDeleteYou did not get me upset. What you did was say something that is demonstrably false. You have to be very clear when making an argument about wages. I'd suggest that you have your union send me the data from comparable positions in other counties and I'd post it. The COs did that with me a few years ago.
"I think they are underpaid. A custodian doesn’t require a Bachelors degree and public welfare certification. Neither does a clerk. C’mon Bernie get real. The COs at the jail, the deputies at the coroners office, and the CYS folks deserve more money. If you got 15 yrs on the job you should be making more than a newbie. AFCSME is the problem. They suck. They just lost representing all the state parole agents. They lost the state COs years ago. They’re more interested in using employees dues for national politics. They’re corrupt. They couldn’t care less about the people they represent. Get rid of them!"
You say AFSCME is the problem. But as you yourself point out, afscme does not represent the COs. AFSCME does not represent Human Services. They are represented by SEIU. AFSCME does not represent deputy sheriffs. They have their own union. So it necessarily follows that AFSCME is not the problem.
Do I think all county employees are underpaid? Yes. Do I think people should get step raises as a matter of course as they gain seniority? Yes. Do I think the county balances its budget on the backs of county employees? Yes. It has done so since Brackbill was Exec. Do I think that needs to change? Yes.
Do I think county services are suffering as a result of low wages? I do not know but am unwilling to accept the anonymous claims of an anonymous poster at 2:35 am. I think it would be interesting to call some departments and see if the claim that calls are not returned is true. I seriously doubt it. Most county employees are very diligent and bend over backwards to help the public. But this should be checked.
Do I think a college degree makes a big difference? No. We need to get away from requiring them, as Josh Shapiro is doing. I am an educated person, but it is not my various degrees that make me educated. It is a vast amount of reading and a willingness to listen to other views as well as the experience gained and lessons learned from many mistakes in my 72 years.
My father used to tell me he knows many people with law degrees, but very few of them are lawyers. I see many people with exalted degrees, but very few are educated. A lot of them are full of themselves. The smartest people I know have little formal education. Don't get me wrong. I know many people with advanced degrees who truly are educated, but it is not the degrees alone that make them that way.
If unions built houses, no one would be able to afford to buy! Triple the time, quadruple the money.
ReplyDeleteUm unions do build houses. They are 45% more efficient and experience 21% fewer delays. They are three times safer. I certainly hope to see more unions in home construction. Your anti-union bias is what I expect from a steel magnate or a coal mine owner, not someone who is lower or middle class. You've been brainwashed to hate all unions based bc they contribute mostly to Dems. Ever wonder why?
ReplyDeleteBut this post is not about unions. It is about wages paid to human services and other county workers. Stickk to the topic. I will delete any more screeds like this.
Very recently, our neighbor to the north, Pike County (Class 6 by population), has revised all their pay scales from Prison to Sheriff to 911 Center. They moved drastically upward in an attempt to avoid the constant attrition and training cycle, and to move toward a more stable and experienced workforce. Consequently, I personally see a drastic reduction in ads for their county online, in a jobs environment where other counties (including ours) are constantly advertising. And Pike has a growing county population....food for thought...
ReplyDeleteThey really increased pay to their jail staff. Turnover is now way down. They run a first class operation up there. Their warden, Craig Lowe, has been recognized as Warden of the year. They contract with ICE and pass all accreditations and inspections with flying colors. Northampton county should take a ride up there and learn how to run a jail and pay and train jail staff
Delete@2:23
DeleteBut instead of using Pyke County as an example of the changing times, norco on the other hand is looking at the least common denominator in counties like Monroe and Lehigh to impose ridiculous pay scales. It’s time to wash away the bow ties and freckles that plague this county and elect leaders that advocate for county employees. Gone are the days that a pension, benefits and useless proclamations mean anything. What brings food to the tables is what’s important. Norco needs to start acting like it.
Can’t keep any new hires as clerk’s because the wage is not enough to live with. No one on the 3rd floor does anything about it. They know there are problems but they never leave their office to talk to employees to find out how things really are.
ReplyDelete