| Council freezes wages (print) |
By: JIM HAMMERAND, Staff Writer
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Posted: Wednesday, August 5, 2009 12:28 am
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NORTHFIELD — With limited discussion Monday night, the City Council unanimously approved a wage freeze for public workers starting in 2010.
Human Resources Director Liz Wheeler said many Minnesota cities comparable to Northfield have implemented similar cost-stabilizing measures, and have turned to furloughs or layoffs if unions are unwilling to reopen their contracts for negotiation.
City Administrator Joel Walinski said wage increases in 2010 would have cost the city about $160,000, an amount Mayor Mary Rossing called “significant.”
Walinski said the city has already met with unions to discuss the possibility of a wage freeze and has since asked that they open their contracts for negotiation early after the governor cut Local Government Aid to the city to balance the state’s budget. Further meetings are scheduled for the coming weeks, he said.
The city’s compensation policy adopted in 2007 requires an annual review of the pay plan, and allows for adjustment due to changes in living costs, the city’s financial status, the economy or other factors. Monday night’s move means employees will not get cost of living or step increases.
“We believe this is the best approach for Northfield,” Wheeler said of the salary freeze.
Finance Director Kathleen McBride said the city is within $25,000 of a balanced general fund budget for 2010.
“The pay freeze for next year came a long way in helping us balance the budget,” she said.
International Union Operating Engineers Local 70 represents two groups with city contracts. of those, one ends this year and the other at the end of 2010.
Local 70 business representative Dave Monsour said the latter group, composed of transit operators, streets employees and clerical workers, are willing to accept the freeze as long as they are guaranteed safety from layoffs.
The city’s wastewater and water workers have no choice but to negotiate their contract, up at the end of 2009.
Monsour said most of the city unions represented by Local 70 statewide have been faced with salary freezes and even cuts, and that members are taking the hit “not too well.”
“Nobody likes to take a freeze or a reduction,” he said.
Calls to police union representatives were not returned.
— Jim Hammerand covers the city. He can be reached at jhammerand@northfieldnews.com or 645-1114.
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