Circuit Clerk’s Union Contract Clears Committee

Arrived at the McHenry County Board’s Law and Justice Committee a little late on Monday.

Discussion was taking place about the collective bargaining agreement between Circuit Clerk Kathleen Keefe’s office and its union, the Metropolitan Alliance of Police.

Kathleen Keefe and Scott Hartman

Kathleen Keefe and Scott Hartman

Here’s what the County Board members read:

The Collective Bargaining Agreement between the MAP, the County and the Circuit Clerk expired on November 30, 2014.

Pursuant to good faith negotiations regarding wages, benefits and terms of employment, the parties have reached tentative agreements for a successor labor contract.

The contract will have a term of four years beginning 12/1/2014 and sets wage increases at 2.25% for each year.

The contract also sets the starting wage for new Court Room Specialist 1 employees and provides an equity adjustment to employees based on their tenure and position.

The health insurance language has been revised to provide for a gradual increase in employee contributions each year of the contract and includes an ACA / “Cadillac plan” provision.

Other key changes include revisions to vacation usage, personal day scheduling, funeral leave policy and the incorporation of a new wellness benefit provision.

While not included in the contract, the negotiations will enable the Circuit Clerk to implement a change in the department’s personnel policy to address attendance and give the Circuit Clerk greater control of employee absences and use of sick leave.

“We struggle to keep Court Specialists, Circuit Clerk Kathleen Keefe told the committee.

“I have lost them to pretty much every department in the county.”

“Employees start at $12.25 now,” she explains.

“The starting rate would be frozen in the contract until 2017.

“New hires started at $11.90 in 2011, $12.05 in 2012 and $12.25 in 2013.

“So the $12.25 starting rate that has been in their existing contract since 12/1/2013 would be frozen until 12/1/2017.”

Kathleen Keefe meets with the Law and Justice Committee.

Kathleen Keefe meets with the Law and Justice Committee.

Deputy County Manager Scott Hartman fills us in on the cost of the contract:

“In consideration of the wage adjustment coupled with the corresponding FICA / IMRF costs, less the calculation of projected health insurance savings (based on current participation levels at today’s premium rate), the contract is projected to cost $175,540.

“This is based on a c

alculation of $236,259 in wages/FICA/IMRF and a savings of $60,719 in Health Insurance costs.”


Comments

Circuit Clerk’s Union Contract Clears Committee — 5 Comments

  1. When will McHenry County and the school boards follow the example set by Rock Valley College?

    http://rockvalleycollege.edu/About/bargainingupdates.cfm

    Two other points.

    Yesterday a Clerk was put in jail for not adhering to her oath of office.

    How many elected officials in this County should serve jail time?

    DuPage County Community College was found in violation of the Open Meetings Act relative to the expenditure of some tax dollars, how open are all school board / County negotiations?

  2. Woe is Keefe.

    Can’t keep employees, because other County Departments have higher paying gigs, which is a joke within this joke of an appeal.

    Solution?

    Pay above what the market bears.

    But try this one Keefe.

    How about communicating with your government cousins at unemployment?

    You’ll have 500 applicants by Monday.

  3. Gosh… since I’m only 65 maybe I should just give away my 2014 1.7% Social Security Cost-Of-Living Adjustment to some illegal alien and work for McHenry County.

  4. So entry level employees better themselves by moving to higher paying jobs?

    I don’t find this a problem.

    I agree with D J and suggest posting those jobs at the local college as well.

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