Merced council approves raises for workers

The Merced City Council approved a new contract Monday with hundreds of city employees – an agreement that will give those workers raises for the first time in at least five years.

The contract was passed despite some resistance to a “me too clause.”

The three-year contract will give 259 employees a 2 percent raise in the first year, a 2.25 percent raise in the second year and a 2.5 percent raise in the third year. The contract passed 4-2.

Mayor Stan Thurston and Councilman Mike Murphy voted against the contract, citing the “me too clause,” and Councilman Noah Lor was absent.

The contracts, which cover three areas of employees, drew scrutiny from representatives of the Merced Police Officers Association during the council meeting. Detective Dan Dabney said he took exception to the “me too clause” in the contracts, which requires that public employees get raises whenever other Merced employee unions receive one.

Dabney argued that the clause would hinder the other unions from being able to negotiate their own contracts effectively. “It can get very expensive,” he said.

Employees represented by the Merced Association of City Employees haven’t seen raises since December 2009, according to city records. Those in the local American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union and the unrepresented employees haven’t had a raise since December 2008.

Debbie Macias, a city employee, said the employees have made concessions and deserve the raises. “As the cost of living goes up, our salary stays stagnant or goes down,” she said.

She also argued that the “me too clause” would not be a hindrance to police or fire unions. She called the contracts fair.

Murphy said the “me too clause” was problematic.

Thurston said he also wouldn’t support the contract with the “me too clause.” The clause would make it difficult for the city to ever pay competitive salaries for police and fire, he said.

The raises go into effect in the 2015-16 fiscal year and are expected to cost $122,330 the first year.

At 441 positions this year, there are 119 fewer employees written into the city’s budget than in 2009.

In the years since, most employees in the three groups began paying a portion of their California Public Employees’ Retirement System contribution plus some of the employer contribution.

Under the new agreement, employees will pay the entire employee portion, and the city will pay the entire employer portion.

Some employees of the city have already received extra cash this year.

In May, 74 city employees received a one-time payment – not considered a bonus – that totaled about $95,000. The payment ranged from $846 to $1,784 depending on the employee’s classification.

Sun-Star staff writer Thaddeus Miller can be reached at (209) 385-2453 or tmiller@mercedsunstar.com.

This story was originally published December 15, 2014 at 9:49 PM with the headline "Merced council approves raises for workers."