The Board of Selectmen ratified new contracts with three labor unions this week, and will consider a fourth – an agreement with firefighters – when they meet tonight at 6:30 p.m.
Public works, library, and Town Hall employees each agreed to four-year deals that provide no salary increases in fiscal 2009, but include raises of 1 percent during the current fiscal 2010 year, 1 percent in fiscal 2011, and 2 percent in fiscal 2012. The contracts cover the period from July 1, 2008, to June 30, 2012, and affect roughly 20 public works employees, 50 at Town Hall, and 13 at the Dedham Public Library, said Town Administrator William Keegan.
He said about 15 to 20 non-union workers at Town Hall agreed to the same wage package.
Keegan said he started negotiating with the unions before their previous contracts expired in 2008, but tight budget times prevented a resolution sooner.
“We couldn’t come to terms because things were pretty volatile in terms of the economics, and that’s clearly a reflection of what happened – that’s why we ended up with a zero in the first year,” he said.
Referring to the 1 and 2 percent increases in the subsequent years, Keegan said, “This is the lowest settlement contract that I’ve seen that’s been in place for many, many years…Clearly it’s a reflection of the economic climate that we’re in, and to the extent that we can continue to provide some level of adjustment in this difficult time, we want to continue to do that.”
“The employees, to their credit, recognized that we are in a difficult time, and they reduced their demands accordingly as well,” he added.
Selectman James MacDonald, whose board ratified the contracts Tuesday, said “contracts are never easy to negotiate,” but “at the end of the day, the town was able to negotiate what we consider to be affordable increases over the next three years.”
He noted that the state keeps redefining its revenue picture, and 2011 will be a challenge.
“Everybody’s realized that, and the contracts, I believe, were fair to both parties,” MacDonald said.
The selectmen will take action on a new agreement with firefighters tonight.
Beyond that, five more unions still have yet to settle new deals.
Dedham Transcript staff writer Edward B. Colby can be reached at 781-433-8336 or ecolby@cnc.com.
