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Munson workers get raises as health costs loom
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - June 30, 2010)
Munson workers get raises as health costs loom
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Annual raises were the topic on the agenda, but discussion last week in Munson Township quickly turned to a proposed employee contribution to health-care costs.
"I'll tell you, I'm mad about it," Road Superintendent Jim Teichman said after employees' raises came up on the agenda. "Can you feel it?"
The idea of employees paying a 3 percent share of the cost was raised three weeks ago by Trustee Todd Ray. He said virtually all private companies require employees to contribute to health costs, and more public entities are asking employees to do the same. He said it's time Munson that joins the "real world."
But the idea drew criticism from employees.
Mr. Teichman said his six-man crew gives extra effort in everything they do, providing the township with the "finest roads in the county" without any overtime. He said the crew is cost-conscious, turning down heat and lights when they leave.
"All that scrimping and saving that we've done is going to be a negative," he said.
Mr. Ray said the issue is not the quality of work being done but how much of the rest of the world is handling rising health-care costs. "No one's debating the quality of work you do," he said.
Mr. Ray said the township regularly provides raises for its workers.
But he said the general public, which is being asked to provide an increasing share of those costs, views public employees as getting a special deal. "This is one of the issues people are looking at or paying attention to," he said. "If you can find a resident who is getting 100 percent of their health-care costs paid, send them to me."
Mr. Teichman said trustees should be warned that such a move could cause a morale problem among its workers. He said, after he discussed the matter with his crew, their responses included looking for other jobs and starting a union.
"You are stepping over dollars to pick up pennies," Mr. Teichmann said.
Mr. Ray said, even if the change does not translate to big-dollar savings, there's value to the move. "I think it has huge symbolic value," he said.
Trustee Irene McMullen said the move was meant to be timed with a significant rise in health-care costs. She said that time has come with the township looking at an 18 percent jump this year in health-care costs.
Mr. Ray said that is part of the reason for the change. "That 18 percent is always invisible to employees, but is thousands of dollars to the township," he said.
Mr. Teichman said employees are well aware of health-care costs nowadays, as two employees have had major surgeries in the last couple years.
He said the real problem is the greed that has become the driving force in the insurance industry and other industries. "The cat's out of the bag; oil companies and insurance companies got greedy," he said.
Mr. Ray and Mrs. McMullen asked that the raises be delayed until the township gets a better handle on health-care costs.
"We've waited this long, I don't see why we can't wait two more weeks," Mr. Ray said.
But Trustee Andy Bushman said raises already have been delayed for four months, since they normally are given in February. He said the issue has been on the agenda for months but keeps getting postponed.
Mr. Bushman said the raises overall would be in the 2.7 percent to 2.9 percent range.
He said the added cost for the raises already has been provided for in appropriations. He said the township could decide at a later date about providing a lump sum to employees for the four-month delay.
Mr. Bushman provided trustees with comparisons for office and road workers in Bainbridge, Russell, Chester, Newbury and Hambden townships. He said all of them pay their workers more than Munson. "If you look at the fair-market value, our guys are underpaid," he said.
He said Newbury Township, on average, pays its road workers $6,000 more a year than Munson.
Trustees approved the raises unanimously, making them effective July 1.
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