News Photo by Crystal Nelson Lauren Desonia, left alternate steward with the Teamsters Union, and Union Steward Erin Mahalak work in Alcona County’s Equalization Department on Wednesday. They are among nine Alcona County employees in the county’s teamsters union.

HARRISVILLE — The Alcona County Board of Commissioners is trying to iron out language in the county’s Teamsters Union contract that would allow negotiations on the employees’ health care plan next month and again next year.

A motion failed 3-to-2 on Wednesday that would have added a “reopener” clause to the the health care portion of the Teamsters’ contract allowing negotations on health care next month and again in October 2020.

Commissioners Carolyn Brummund and Gary Wnuk and Chairman Craig Johnston voted against adding the language to the contract, while Commissioners Dan Gauthier and Vice Chairman Adam Brege voted in favor of it.

Johnston said commissioners with the dissenting votes wanted more time to review the contract. He said the board would consider the language again at its next meeting on Sept. 18.

Johnston said the board has yet to approve the contract but the county is operating as though they have, meaning the county is honoring the wages outlined in the deal.

The county is also honoring the health care that’s in the contract for this year, Johnston said, but noted the county is concerned about the cost of health care going into next year.

“We weren’t comfortable going into a three year contract locked into a certain amount not knowing what healthcare costs are going to be,” he said.

The exact status of the contract isn’t exactly clear.

The board has in recent weeks approved pay increases for non-union employees, saying those workers should get a pay raise because unionized employees did.

Erin Mahalak, union steward with the local Teamsters Union, told The News the contract was settled in February and expires in December 2021.

Minutes from the board’s February meeting show a motion was made to approve the contract and the motion was seconded, but there is no indication in the minutes that a vote was held.

Johnston said county commissioners would like to keep health care costs stable, but, if the county should have “a huge increase” in costs, commissioners want to be able to consider a change in its insurance carrier or in its plan.

The county’s Teamsters Union consists of nine county employees who work either as secretaries or in maintenance, according to Mahalak.