Commissioners seek better definition of longevity pay
by Richard Lamb, Advance Editor
The Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners will go back to the drawing board to clarify a definition of longevity pay with a bargaining union.
At last week?s board meeting, commissioner Bob Schell said the definition of who in entitled to longevity pay, is a question to be resolved. The board directed the matter be sent back to the personnel committee to deal with the United Steelworkers Union over the question of full-time versus part-time employee benefits.
?This doesn?t start until July 1 so we have sometime to sort this out. We have the court employees that are already getting this and that is why there is a problem. To simplify things, if we agree that as long as they are employees of the county longevity will count. But I still think it has to be full-time,? Schell said.
?So what you are suggesting is that it should mirror all of the other benefits and I agree,? said commissioner Mike Grohowski. ?If all of the other benefits are based on certain parameters, we should just fold the longevity into the same and carry it through.?
District 2 commissioner Kris Sorgenfrei had a question on the matter. ?I think part-timers really lose on all fronts, then. Really is what we are saying?? she said.
?They are not entitled to any other benefits as part-time employees,? Schell answered. ?That is unfortunate, I guess,? Sorgenfrei said. Clerk Sue Rhode offered clarification.
?If there is a regular part-time employee that is here when you need them and they have a regular time to work, when and if they are hired full time, we go back and prorate their part-time hours that they have worked and kind of change it into full time,? Rhode said. Rhode said the longevity pay is a lump-sum payment.
?I believe the steelworkers get $150 dollars at 15 years,? Rhode said. Schell said the committee would have to go back and ?tighten up the definition of it,? and report back to the board.
The commissioners also kept the 9-1-1 surcha
–Former District 5 commissioner Stephen Lang thanked the board members for honoring his service at the last meeting.
–Commissioner Sorgenfrei reported she accepted an award on behalf of the county at the Huron Pines meeting in Gaylord. The regional conservation organization recognized the efforts of the advisory committee for Negnegon, Rockport, and Thompson?s Harbor and all current or potential state parks along the county?s Lake Huron shore.
–The board approved an unspecified amount of overtime for workers in the prosecuting attorney?s office for required training.