According to yesterday's news release about the latest AFSCME contract, "This agreement is the latest example of the County Executive’s continued efforts to invest in frontline workers and honor the essential role of organized labor in delivering public services." It's improper for a person paid by taxpayers, not McClure, to use our tax dollars to heap praise upon him. At this point, it becomes propaganda, not information. Besides, it's incorrect. Rather than investing in frontline workers, it continues a serious wage disparity in the residual unit.
The residual unit consists of the clerks that people see when they visit the Prothy (County Civil Clerk) to get a passport or the Recorder's office with questions about their Deeds. The Prothy's office has suffered with a high turnover for many years. precisely because the salaries mere pittances. People either bid on other jobs in the county or go to the private sector. And this is very precise work. When motions or lawsuits must be filed by a certain date, it's important to have people in that office who are familiar with the process. The low pay guarantees the opposite and is no investment in frontline workers.
The county knows this. The Prothy herself has told Council at budget presentations that the salary is too low. It has been discussed and lamented by Councils and Executives alike. But the situation continues.
I believe the reason for this is because the AFSCME local that serves as the bargaining agent for the residual unit also represents too many different types of employees from too many different departments. It is looking at a package deal for all, but that just perpetuates an existing wage disparity.
County Council's pay study failed to include union workers so this wage disparity was unaddressed. But everyone knows it exists. Isn't it time to do something about it?
You are so funny BO> You expect council to do something? They are only good at sniping at each other.
ReplyDeleteWhen discussing wage increases why not state it in dollar amounts instead of percentages. A 3% raise is 40 cents. Thats about $16 a week. Looks much different doesn’t it?
ReplyDeleteBecause not everyone makes the same hourly rate under this collective bargaining agreement. Example a 4% raise for someone making $16 an hour is not the same as for someone making $20 an hour. Hoping your comment was a joke?
DeleteThe question comes down to what's best for the unions. McClure will follow that path because the unions want him in office and are willing to fund his campaign to get him there. In other words, he's bought.
ReplyDeleteBought by the few union members that VOLUNTARILY signed up to have additional funds (separate from union dues) taken from their check solely to be used on political support? If he’s being “bought” with the little funds provided by AFSCME District 88 then we are in trouble. And if he’s being bought he’d up the wages quite a bit more one would hope.
DeleteAgree with above. The unions are supporting Lamont and he in turn will ensure that they will be taken care of ….as well as making sure his lapdogs follow his commands on council .
ReplyDeleteSome labor groups may support him however, do you really believe he’s “taking” care of employees making $13-$20 an hour by giving them 4% raises? LOL yeah he’s really showing them the money and gaining support by providing .52 to .80 cent an hour raises for two years.
DeleteAnother problem with this deal is that if it's just COLAs, there are no steps. New hires will make the same pay as those with years of experience.
ReplyDeleteCivil is not in the residual unit.
ReplyDeleteBernieOHare: it has been part of residual for as long as I remember.
DeleteCivil is court-related unit.
DeleteCivil is court-related. Also court pay scales are lower than residual.
DeleteOk, but it is part of this bargaining unit. Those people need steps. not COLAs
DeleteYou said Council did a wage study. When? When was it done and what are the findings? Was it made PUBLIC? How can I obtain a copy? Did the Unions agree to a wage study that included them? We have a right to know what the wage study findings are and how are the deficiencies being addressed? It is rumored that the Administration gave the unions benefits that were inappropriate and never properly negotiated. When does all this crap stop? Not until McClure goes.
ReplyDeletehttps://lehighvalleyramblings.blogspot.com/2024/03/norco-council-gets-long-awaited-pay.html
DeleteIt was limited to career service and was presented last year. It is a public record.
This is so true! AFCSME represents about 65k state employees in every job category imaginable. They have no clue what job categories do what, they just want the dues money to give to national politicians. The state COs got out about 20 years ago. The state parole agents got out about 2 years ago and are now represented by FOP. Lumping in PENNDOT with a milk sanitation inspector or an EPA engineer, it’s stupid. It’s a terrible Union, the people that work for the Union make great money and do nothing for their people.
ReplyDelete1. Your union dues can not be used directly for political campaigns. Please stop spreading those mistruths and educate yourself. For a union or union member to provide monies to donate to political campaigns they must have a PAC formed and union members must voluntarily sign up to donate monies from their check to the PAC. A separate line item, stop it.
Delete2. The state dictates what job descriptions go into what agreement.
3. For a group or employees in one group to join another union they must first decertify then stay out of a union for one year before voting to join another union. That’s a risk they’d have to take.
This is just in my opinion from what I know, and I’ve heard some terrible things about this place…Northampton County is filled with corruption, nepotism, unfairness, favoritism, and the leadership and upper positions held such as McClure, Brown, and the Prothy ALL MAKE A SALARY OF OVER $100,000 PER YEAR- yet their most valued employees- the ones who do all the crap work and deal with the crazy personalities of the public, the employees that also do all the hard work- get paid between $34-36,000 per year. They want to give them 2% of the peanuts they make as their living wage increase…? Make it make sense!
ReplyDeleteTo be fair not all leadership makes 6 figures as you have heard. Some do, but the Executive himself doesn’t even make 6 figures.
DeleteThere is truth though that many front line supervisors/managers and those at entry level, the true faces of the county, do make way too little in many departments.
No one that recently graduated college wants to come to this county for peanuts as you say. That needs to be corrected.
McClure and Brown made 85K to stir a billion dollar ship.
DeleteThe most blatant issue, that stares us in the face, is the spelling of contract in the header!
ReplyDeleteIt’s a democratic process. Surely all of the clerks voted ‘No’ and they lobbied other members of the unit to vote against it too, right ? Find out what the vote was and let us know. That’s interesting information at least.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention - when they say benefits remain the same, it’s simply not the truth. We now have Express Scripts denying diabetics and asthmatics the meds they have been taking for years, all in the name of saving a buck. This, in addition to the wages in our dept that have lost $4 simply due to inflation, is the reason that people would rather work just about anywhere else. For what it’s worth, state AFSCME receives step increases each and every year.
ReplyDeleteMcCluless strikes again- he & his minions are bought and paid for.
ReplyDeleteWhy didn’t they just wait for the next Ex if this is so bad ?
ReplyDeleteThe problem with the residual union is the leadership is all at the top of the pay scale. So all they want is cola raises. And the president of that local loves I means loves Lamont. So they pushed for a contract that helps their leadership.
ReplyDeleteHopefully Mike Miller is out of a job with this county soon. But I believe if Tara is elected is will be more of same. Wish she would come out and stand up for the employees.
The jail is in shambles. Every aspect of it from COS to medical to administration. The director up there lying about the numbers.