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Alcona County rejects raises for non-union workers

ALCONA — Alcona County commissioners could not reach an agreement on Wednesday about whether they wanted to give the county’s non-union employees a raise.

Commissioners voted down two separate motions that would have given its non-union workers either raises or bonuses, depending on their position with the county.

The first motion, which would have given the employees a 2% raise — same as unionized employees were given follwing contract negotiations — was defeated 2-2, with Board of Commissioenrs Vice Chairman Adam Brege and Commissioner Gary Wnuk casting the dissenting votes. Chairman Craig Johnston was not in attendance.

The raise would have excluded elected officials and their deputies and department heads, who would have received an annual compensation of $500 over three years, instead of the 2% raise. Neither the probate judge nor county commissioners would have been included in the raise.

Councilwoman Carolyn Brummund said the probate judge’s salary is set by the state.

The second motion, which would have given all non-union employees a 1% raise for one year, retroactive to Jan. 1, was also defeated 2-2 with Brege and Wnuk casting the dissenting votes. That motion also came with the stipulation that an additional 1% raise and $500 “was not off the table” and could be considered at a later date.

Neither the judge nor county commissioners would have been included in that raise.

Vice Chairman Adam Brege said that, just because the board didn’t come to an agreement on Wednesday doesn’t mean the issue is dead.

“Just because today we didn’t vote to do anything doesn’t mean in three months we can’t still do something retroactive, depending on how we’re performing this year,” he said.

The commissioners are considering giving its non-union employees raises after commissioners earlier approved raises for all of the employees covered by union contracts.

Non-union employees saw unionized employees receive raises and asked commissioners to consider something for them, as well.

Brummund invited Brege and Wnuk to say whether there was any kind of compensation they would propose, or could support, at this time.

Brege said that, although commissioners have noticed the county is performing better financially this year than last, he would like more time to watch the county finances roll out. He said there will be more opportunities this year to discuss additional compensation for the county’s non-union employees.

“If we do it now, we’re gambling,” he said. “My constituents would say I’m gambling on the fact that we think it’s going to go well – my opinion.”

Commissioner Dan Gauthier said county employees don’t deserve “to be hung out there,” hoping that the county has a good year.

“They do their job but they have no bearing on how or what’s going to happen throughout this year,” he said.

Wnuk said he wasn’t in favor of giving anybody any raises but that commissioners had their backs to the wall during union negotiations. He said he doesn’t know how else to explain to people that the county has financial problems. He said the voting public needs to understand that, if they want services and they want quality people, they have to pay for them.

“I’m beginning to see that everybody expects things to be done for nothing, and we can’t do anything for nothing long,” he said. “We’ve been doing this for God knows how many years, and the gravy train is about to come right off the tracks.”

Commissioners also rejected a motion last month that would have allowed the county’s non-union employees to receive the same salary increase as its union employees. Commissioners at that time voted on one of five proposals brought forward by the county Personnel Committee, which was rejected by a 3-1 vote. Johnston, Gauthier and Wnuk voted against the motion, while Brummund voted in support of it.

During that meeting, Brege was not in attendance.

Crystal Nelson can be reached at 989-358-5687 or cnelson@thealpenanews.com.

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