Deputies Have New Contract: Unionized Workers, Including Other Court Employees, Will Pay 10 Percent Health Care.

By Sherry Long, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

Jan. 16–WILKES-BARRE — Sheriff’s deputies and court-related employees represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union approved a new contract with Luzerne County Tuesday.

The union represents about 100 county employees.

New employees will pay 10 percent toward their health care premiums under the new contract, Commissioner Steve Urban said.

Sheriff’s deputies will make more money because their work week will increase from 32.5 hours to 35 hours a week. The department will phase in the new hours over two years, Urban said.

“I have no problem increasing the work week (of deputies),” he said. “It would have them working more hours, getting more pay and we might be able to get by with fewer people and could lower our overall costs.”

Because health care insurance premiums continue to increase, Urban said he wanted employees to start paying a portion of their health care costs.

“The county is always looking for union members to pay part of their health care,” he said.

Commissioners must approve the contract before it becomes official.

The contract talks were scheduled for arbitration on Jan. 24 and Feb. 21 if the workers had not approved the contract.

Specific details of contract were not available. The length of the new contract is unknown.

Union officials could not be reached for comment.

Sherry Long, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7159.

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