Feb 6, 2014 2 min read

The Washington County commissioners Thursday approved a four-year contract for workers in the Children and Youth Services agency, but because the unionized workforce has been working under the terms of their previous contract, the pact expires Dec. 31, 2016.

The terms of the new pact for approximately 50 employees includes a retroactive raise of 3 percent. This year, the CYS staffers who are members of the Service Employees International/Pennsylvania Social Services Union will be receiving raises of 1.5 percent for January through June 30, with another 1.5 percent raise for the last six months of the calendar year.

This will be followed by a 3 percent raise in 2015 and two raises of 1.5 percent in 2016.

“Now the whole county is on the same (health) plan, Highmark,” said Charles Nicholls, Washington County director of human resources. The economies of scale allowed the county to obtain a lower rate. “It’s so much simpler with one plan,” he added.

The commissioners also formally accepted the arbitration decision in the case of court-appointed, court-directed employees who are members of the Service Employees International Union, which also expired Dec. 31, 2012.

Their schedule of raises is similar to that granted to the CYS employees, but with two raises of 1.5 percent occurring in the odd years and 3 percent raises given in the even years.