A union representing the majority of Dane County employees has ratified its 2010 contract, which includes a temporary 3 percent pay cut for the year, according to statements from Dane County and the union released Thursday.
“Through these successful ratification votes, hundreds of county employees have recognized the great toll this national economic recession has taken and have said they want to be part of the solution,” County Executive Kathleen Falk said in a statement. “I am most grateful for their shared sacrifice, and I’m asking the rest of county government to join them.”
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents more than 1,500 Dane County employees, previously entered into a tentative agreement in late October with the county after negotiations between the union and the county. Now, the last of the union’s bargaining units voted to enter into the agreement Wednesday night.
The agreement also contains a no-layoff pledge and eight days off for the employees. Four of these will be the choice of the employees and the other four will fall on days most of county services will be shut down, according to the statement.
According to the statement from AFSCME, the decision would save $4.7 million for the county if all employees — both union employees and non-represented — take the cut.
“The decision by AFSCME members to reach these agreements was painful. But in the end, our members see this as the prudent and responsible path,” Shannon Meier, president of AFSCME Council 40, Local 720, said in a statement.
In addition, Falk requested all elected officials and non-represented employees to share in the 3 percent salary cut.
According to Falk’s spokesperson Joshua Wescott, Falk will participate in the pay cut — as she did in the 5 percent cut for the remainder of 2009 — and also turned down a 1 percent pay increase from the County Board of Supervisors last year.
Wescott said Falk is optimistic non-represented employees will take the cut, given how they “stepped up to the plate” for this year and took the 5 percent pay cut.
