Lake County’s E-911 workers have a signed and approved 2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement about three months before their current contract expires.
Byron Bonham, business representative for the United Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 21, which represents the workers in Lake County’s 105 union-represented positions, said members passed the new pact by an overwhelming majority. The union does not comment on exact votes, he said.
Bonham said the union of course always wants to do a little better for its employees but overall is satisfied with the negotiated and approved contract. The Lake County Board of Commissioners Wednesday approved the contract, which was negotiated over the summer through the county council.
“I think it speaks volumes we could reach an agreement well before deadline with the overwhelming majority in support,” Bonham said.
Current starting pay for dispatchers after their training and probationary period is $20.50 an hour. That rate will go to $21 an hour in 2024 and $22 an hour in 2025. Starting pay in each job level goes up $1 an hour each year in the new contract.
Pay has been an issue since the consolidated 911 dispatch center opened, Commission President Michael Repay, D-Hammond, said. The center has been unable to meet full staffing levels since its inception and the number of employees have fluctuated at any given time.
“We have definitely taken steps to improve pay and make it more commensurate with our competitors,” Repay said.
He said if he could do it all over again, he would have started out pushing for higher salaries for dispatchers instead of spending years trying to bring the pay to a competitive level. The pay has hampered efforts to bring the center up to full staffing levels.
“All we can do now is continue to improve it for the future,” Repay said. “This contract works toward that.”
He lauded the administration of the department for efforts training both at the entry level and ongoing to the point that they “basically raised the bar in the center. I think that’s helped us. I think that’s helped us retain people,” Repay said,
The improved culture has also helped to bring in some former employees who understand that things are a little different from what they used to be.
“It’s improved morale overall,” Repay said.
Bonham said for members it was important in this contract that starting pay was better, but that seniority was recognized as well when it comes to pay.
“Our focus when we were going in was to honor tenure and experience of the existing employees, while also making an attractive opportunity for growth,” Bonham said.