Arnold’s new contract with its public works employees calls for small raises over the next three years.
The deal, reached by council and the public works union last week, calls for a 75-cent hourly wage increase this year, an 80-cent increase next year and an 85-cent jump in 2028.
With the new contract, the base rate for Arnold’s street department will be $26.25 an hour, said financial clerk Jen Schwartz. Annually, that amounts to $54,600.
“The street crew has been phenomenal,” Mayor Shannon Santucci said. “For the past two years, they’ve done everything I’ve asked them to. I wish the city was in the position to give them a nice jump.”
There are seven public works employees, including the department supervisor, who is not in the bargaining unit. Of the other six employees, five are full time and one is part time, said Santucci.
The contract also calls to increase the rate of employees’ earned sick days by 0.25-day per month, or three days a year. Paid sick days are earned based on the time an employee has been with the department, and they earn a day-and-a-half each month that a sick day is not used, Schwartz said.
The amount employees contribute to pay for health insurance will increase to 5% this year, 6% next year and 7% in 2028. Employees can choose their level of coverage.
