Officials try to get wage concessions

Layoffs loom if terms are not reached

By K. L. Klein

Posted: Oct. 27, 2009 |(0) Comments

Germantown — Mum's the word from union officials on a proposed wage freeze for village employees in 2010.

Not wanting to hinder potential negotiations, several union presidents declined to comment on the plan, which calls for either a wage freeze or layoffs for village employees.

However, Police Detective Michael Yogerst, who is the president of the Germantown Police Professionals Association, has expressed some frustration with the village's budgeting process.

"I would think if the village was serious about working with the unions to gain (wage) concessions they would have been reluctant to place the issue in the public arena," he said. "They should have discussed the issue with the unions well in advance of it appearing in the newspaper and what passes for their reasoned discussion of the budget issues."

The union, which represents 24 village police employees, has one year remaining in its three-year contract with the village.

He declined to comment on the wage freeze proposal, which would reduce the budget by $59,000.

Freeze at 2009 levels

Village trustees last week directed staff to negotiate with the unions to freeze 2010 wages at 2009 levels, which would reduce the budget by $167,000. Negotiations would include calculating 2011 wages based on the revised 2010 rates.

Village Administrator David Schornack said if the village is unsuccessful in getting wage concessions, it will lay off employees.

He said he can't circumvent the Village Board by going to employees first with proposals. Schornack said the budgeting process calls for him to take proposals to trustees first for direction.

"A lot of the employees probably know (about the proposals) before I go to the Village Board," he said.

Some contracts up in December

Village officials and the International Association of Fire Fighters began negotiations on a contract for 2010 through 2012 last week. The village is hoping to reduce the budget by $7,200 in wage concessions.

Menomonee Falls firefighter Kevin Rokenbrodt, who is president of the union, said he would not comment on the wage freeze because of negotiations.

The joint union includes two full-time and four part-time Germantown firefighters. Its contract expires in December.

"We have to negotiate anyway," he said.

The Communications Officers Association contract also expires in December. The union represents eight dispatchers. Dispatcher Carrie Sybeldon, the union's president, said negotiations are expected to start in November. The village is hoping to reduce the budget by $8,700 in wage concessions.

Schornack said he will send a letter to the village's four unions with contracts not expiring in December - the police, paid-on-call firefighters, public works and clerical/technical unions - this week. He said he will ask to reopen negotiations for a wage freeze, otherwise layoffs will be necessary.

He said he plans to take the feedback he receives from the unions to the board prior to making any layoff decisions. He said he does not need board approval to layoff employees.

Trustee Art Zabel said he is hoping for wage concessions from the unions because he does not want to see layoffs.

"I am not interested in cutting services," he said.

With concessions, levy still increases

If village officials are successful in obtaining a wage freeze, the preliminary budget would call for a 3.55 percent, or $360,000, increase to the levy, which would be $10.5 million.

That would equate to a village tax rate of $4.58 per $1,000 of assessed value, a 2.09 percent increase. Last year's tax rate was $4.48.

If property values remain the same, the owner of a $250,000 would see a $25 increase for village services.

The village will hold a public hearing on the budget Nov. 16.