At their Wednesday night meeting, Northampton County Council voted 8-0 to approve a new, three-year contract with SEIU Local 668, the bargaining unit for the county's unionized human services employees. The vote followed some extensive questioning by Council members Ron Heckman and Council President Lori Vargo Heffner.
I had previously reported on these contract negotiations a few times. I had told you that the union voted to reject a new three-year contract that addresses salary more aggressively than I've seen before under Executive Lamont McClure.
The contract rejected included the following:
Year one was a 2.75% step increase plus cash equal to 4.5% rolled into the base. Year two was a repeat of year one. Year three was a 4% COLA.
Those already at the top of their pay scales would get $1,750 cash bonuses in years one and two, along with the 4% COLA in Year 3.
Basically, the proposal amounts to a 13-15% payhike over three years.
The county even sweetened this deal by offering a $500 retention cash bonus on July 1, 2024 and January 1, 2025.
Not only did members reject this rather generous proposal, but they were prepared to strike.
The contract that the union members eventually decided to accept was one that just included three 5% COLAs over each of the three years. Basically, it is about the same amount of money as the county had already offered.
Ron Heckman, who groused that he was "entitled to at least as much information as a blogger," lamented the lack of step increases. He also snapped at fellow Council member Ken Kraft, who tried to point out the more precise terms of what had been negotiated.
Before I go on, let me point out that I published offers as they were made known to me, and believe therefore that Heckman had at least as much information as I.
But Heckman's concerns about the lack of step increases was answered by Executive Lamont McClure. The union did not want them. They wanted COLAs instead, which are rolled into the base pay. McClure went on to explain that last year, the residual unit also rejected step increases in favor of COLAs. After that, Heckman stopped pontificating.
For her part, Vargo-Heffner asked for a detailed explanation of mandates (which have never been imposed in Human Services) as well as the medical benefits.
The contract was approved in an 8-0 vote by County Council. Council member Jeff Warren, who relied heavily on union contributions for his county council candidacy, was absent.
14 comments:
Vargo-Heffner was trying to screw up the deal in the background to force a strike.
It never really did make sense - the strike threats.
Alls well that ends well.
McClure deserves some coffee.
Kezzy Johnson did an excellent jobs leading her troops to a good contract. She must have thought colas were better for her members than steps.
Thank God the charter gives the Exec this authority. Council can’t get anything done.
Ron Heckman is a complete old fool, as he sits there and LOOKS at the terms agreed to right in front of his pudgy little fingers, he asks stupid inane questions just to make him show his feathers and how self important he thinks he is.
time to resign Ron, you are getting dumber every day
and bernie why don't you point this out, RON threw his buddy Jerry under the bus with his stupidity wednesday night, watch the video,
why LVH doesn't reign this fool in is a clear example why she should not be president.
Do nothing council is an understatement
Ken Kraft, Heckman has forgotten more about county government than you and your two fools will ever know. You just do what you are told. Thank God there are a couple people overseeing things and doing their jobs on council.
Now, back to work you lazy bums and stop wasting more of our tax dollars!!!
Sorry Ron, I can’t take credit for that one
@ 7:00pm ahhhh yes, again with Heckman knows more than anybody else. Why is that a thing? Maybe because he constantly lectures about the roles of County Council at every-single-meeting? Maybe because people correlate age with wisdom? Maybe because he LOVES to obstruct and slow down every single agenda item by going off on tangents unbeknownst to anyone, and people love the theatrics?
For what ever reason it is, as a person who follows county government and watches all the meetings I am sick of it. If Heckman has forgotten more about county government than Mr. Kraft then maybe it's time to hang it up!
Heckman showed his true colors at the last meeting when the administrator gave a timeline for voting on the TIF for the Boro, School District, and then the County Council. His disdain for being "told" when the Council's next opportunity to vote was very apparent.
Hey Ron, constantly telling everyone what the Council's role is and what power it has actually feels like you are trying to convince everyone. We get it. All the Administrator did was give the latest timeline for the voting dates and there you are going off again about Council's power. Ho Hum. How about saying thank you for the update?!
McClure recently boasted about a big reserve the County has, and the millions he saved on spending, and the possibility of taxes being reduced in the future as a result! Well forget that idea! With the fat raises these over-paid, greedy Human Services workers received, not to mention the Managers who get paid near or above triple figures, there most certainly will be an increase in our property taxes in next year's budget hearing and years to come. Just watch!!
McClure is a brilliant negotiator.
He plans to cut taxes anyway. Stop hating. That is his job.
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