County settles a labor agreement

Crow Wing County settled a labor agreement with its International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49 Facilities and Parks Maintenance staff following a pattern of a 1.5 percent wage increase in 2010 and a 2 percent increase in 2011.

Tami Laska, human resources director, said that pattern of settlement covers about 385 staff members. The two-year contract with the facilities staff includes several items. Overtime was changed from being shift-related to coming after 40 hours per week. Language was standardized such as noting staff members do not see an increase or decrease in benefits by changing unions. The agreement created a more flexible model so staff members from other areas could be reassigned if facilities needed help with a project. A performance component was added requiring satisfactory performance for wage adjustments.

Laska reported the overtime change was designed to save money and is in labor agreements and policies affecting the majority of county staff - 350 out of 450 people. Seven of 11 contracts have the performance component for wage adjustments.

Laska said having cross utilization between staff members is a significant part of the agreement and also minimizes overtime. She said it means people may be redeployed as needed and creates a work team that is more flexible. Laska pointed to the ongoing efforts since 2008, such as reducing paid time off and creating a standardized pay plan, along with the sunset of retiree health, longevity and sick leave severance from past years creates sustainable cost reductions for the county.

In other business, the board:

Learned the county's Public Health Department has given 6,655 H1N1 vaccinations through county vaccination clinics and has given 550 vaccinations to walk-ins, roughly 50 per week for 11 weeks.