http://www.dailygazette.com

Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY COUNTY
CSEA approves 3-year pact Deal covers 800 workers
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Michael Lamendola at 395-3114 or lamend@dailygazette.com.

    Schenectady County’s largest union Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a new contract that boosts salaries 9 percent over three years in return for health care savings worth more than $1.1 million annually.
    Local 847 of the Civil Service Employees Association voted 433-33 for ratification, said local President Joanne DeSarbo. The local represents 800 employees.
    “Given the financial situation of the county and the economy, it is the best deal we could broker with the county,” DeSarbo said.
    She said CSEA members “would like to see more money, but to put it in perspective, we retained benefits, added financial incentives and incentives having to do with wellness.”
    The county Legislature is expected to approve the contract Tuesday night. The contract would be retroactive to January of this year and would end Dec. 31. 2009.
    Under the proposed contract, the raises will cost the county approximately $1.2 million the first year, $2.4 million the second year and $3.7 million the third year, for a total of $7.4 million. It also adds a new step at the 30th year of the wage scale. The step will cost approximately $40,000 annually. The county already has longevity steps at 10, 15, 20 and 25 years.
    The county expects to recoup $1.1 million annually through changes in health care coverage for employees.
    The contract includes provisions to promote a healthier work force, which would help reduce the county’s health care costs, according to County Attorney Chris Gardner.
    Among the new provisions, employees would receive $400 annually, up from $300, to offset membership at participating YMCAs and YWCAs. At one point, 700 county employees took advantage of the fitness program incentive. The county will also provide employees with a $240 credit for participating in a private gym. It also is offering programs on smoking cessation, weight reduction, blood pressure control and dietary practices.
    DeSarbo credited the CSEA’s bargaining team and as well as the county bargaining team — consisting of Gardner and County Manager Kathleen Rooney — with offering creative and innovative approaches to reduce the county’s health care costs without affecting employee benefi ts.
    “We try to do innovative things. It think it speaks volumes we were able to arrive at a creative agreement that is not a burden on taxpayers,” she said.
    The county is currently negotiating with four other unions, whose contracts expired last December: The 200-member Service Employees International Union Local 1199, the 25-member SEIU Local 721, the 150-member Sheriff’s Benevolent Association and a smaller unit of correction officers.
    DeSarbo said the CSEA contract provides direction to the other unions. “We set the stage. The other unions really know where they are at when we settle.”
    The county Legislature already agreed not to provide raises in 2008 to employees, specifically management, who do not belong to unions. The county’s work force numbers approximately 1,800.

http://www.dailygazette.com

Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY
County’s top brass granted raises
Salary hikes worth nearly $250,000
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter

    In one of its last acts of the year, the Schenectady County Legislature Thursday night granted retroactive raises to dozens of managementconfidential employees.
    Employees received the raises, worth approximately $250,000, under clauses linking them to raises received by unionized staff. They will not receive raises in 2008, however, as per a directive from the Legislature.
    County Legislator Karen Johnson, D-Schenectady, said the raises are going to staff who “have jobs that keep the county running. They are critical employees.”
    She said the Legislature “cannot unfairly treat these people when our unionized employees receive 3 percent raises.”
    Minority Leader Robert Farley, R-Glenville, voted against the raises. “This is not an issue about their performance, but it’s that taxes in the county are too high. We cannot afford to move forward with these raises,” he said.
    The county this month finalized a three-year contract with its largest union, the Civil Service Employees Association, offering 3 percent raises each year in return for savings in health-care benefits.
    The raises for the 800 members of the CSEA local will cost the county approximately $1.2 million the first year, $2.4 million the second year and $3.7 million the third year, for a total of $7.4 million.
    The contract also adds a new step at the 30th year of the wage scale. The step will cost approximately $40,000 annually. The county already has longevity steps at 10, 15, 20 and 25 years.
    The county also is negotiating with four other unions, whose contracts expired last December: The 200-member Service Employees International Union Local 1199, the 25-member SEIU Local 721, the 150-member Sheriff’s Benevolent Association and a smaller unit of correction officers. The CSEA contract generally serves as a template for these contracts, county officials said.
    In other business, the Legislature approved the creation of a new position, special assistant to the commissioner of social services for youth development. The position carries a salary range of $59,000 to $85,000.
    Republicans said majority Democrats created the new position, which takes effect Jan. 1, for outgoing county Legislator Ed Kosiur. Kosiur’s four-year term ends Dec. 31, and he has already given two weeks’ notice to his current employer, the Schenectady Boys & Girls Clubs.
    Democrats said the new position is part of their restructuring of county government and it will help increase efficiency and improve services. They plan to announce a series of initiatives in January to assist the county’s youths.
    The Legislature approved contracts with nine outside agencies for 2008. The county has maintained many of the contracts for years.
    Recipients are:
    Law, Order and Justice for mediation other legal services, $115,538 ; Schenectady County Conservation District for soil and water conservation services, $197,443; Cooperative Extension Association of Schenectady County for educational programs, $142,583; Proctors for promotion of the arts, $200,000; Tri-County Fair Association for promotion of agriculture services, $4,500; Empire State Aerosciences Museum, $28,000; World Team Tennis, $22,500; Central Park Music Theatre, $13,500; Schenectady County chamber of Commerce, to promote tourism, $94,500.

I'll say one thing for our wonderful County Council they have one heck of a lot of nerve to go along with their arrogance.

Promotion of agriculture to protect and enhance the few farms we have left...$4,500
Promotion of the game of tennis $22,500
$89,000 salary to Ed Kosiur on the back of Shane Bargy?  Priceless

I hear that Mr. Bargy landed a job that will yield him an increase in salary atleast.  He did a great job for our youth of D'burg.

My memory may be failing me...but wasn't it just a while ago, when they were trying to lower the double digit tax increase, that they did away with certain jobs to lower that increase? So am I to understand that they eliminated some jobs and yet increased and created new jobs? Where do these people come from and how do they sleep at night?

Come on people, this is simple accounting I, that we all learned in high school. Did these elected officials even graduate from high school? Perhaps someone should check their credentials.

If this item in the budget has a $26,000 variation can you imagine the extra funds in other items?  The salary should have been written in stone at the time of the budget according to the job description.

Quoted Text

In one of its last acts of the year, the Schenectady County Legislature Thursday night granted retroactive raises to dozens of managementconfidential employees.

And that means what??? Brother, sister, mother, father, gumbas....what???