PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County government has earned concessions from one of two employee unions toward cost-cutting concessions in 2011.
The county has contracts with two unions, the United Food and Commercial Workers and the Teamsters, and asked the unions to defer expected wage and cost-of-living increases for one year.
The UFCW membership voted to defer raises for a year, while negotiations with the Teamsters are still in progress.
“UFCW staff deserve thanks and recognition for stepping forward and voting to participate in the one-year wage and step freeze,” said County Administrator Philip Morley.
“This reduces the size of the funding gap for existing county services in 2011 and beyond.”
Of the county’s 277 full-time employees, 230 are union members, with the UFCW members employed in the courthouse, Department of Community Development and the public health department.
The Teamsters represent workers in the Sheriff’s Office, Public Works, the Central Services Department and Information Technology.
The remaining 47 employees are either elected officials or nonexempt staff who, according to Morley, agreed to the pay freezes before negotiations with the unions began.
The total projected savings if the Teamsters approve concessions will be $260,000 in the general fund and an additional $270,00 outside of the general fund, Morley said.
“A wage and step freeze helps contain the cost of continuing services and reduces staffing cuts that would be necessary next year.” Morley said.
“By shifting the cost curve, a one year freeze reduces status quo expenditures in 2011, and each year after that by at least as much.”
Morley said the UFCW represents a total of 105 county employees while 125 are represented by the Teamsters.
The breakdown of savings in the general fund by the one-year freeze is UFCW, $80,919; Teamsters, $117,278 and exempt employees and elected officials, $62,271.
Morley said he would not specifically comment about negotiations in progress.
“Discussions with our six Teamster bargaining units are ongoing,” he said.
“We hope they will join the other county employees in being part of the county’s budget solution.”
Teamsters’ representative Dan Taylor did not return a call asking for comment.
Morley said he did not have a schedule for negotiations, but expects the matter to be resolved before Jan. 1 when the freeze would take effect.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
