McHenry County Board OKs pay hike for nonunion workers

Despite concerns that this year's financial hardships could get even worse in 2010, McHenry County's nonunion employees, as well as some elected officials, will be in line for pay raises next year.

The county board voted 18-6 Tuesday to make 821 workers eligible for pay-for-performance wage hikes that will average 2 percent in 2010. Funding for the raises comes from a $390,000 pool that also covers merit increases for some unionized employees.

Backers of the measure said raising nonunion employee's pay is only fair since another 478 union workers will receive raises under existing labor contracts.

The raises can range anywhere from zero to 4 percent, depending on how a department head believes that employee has performed in the last year. But, overall, the total raises for each department, and across the county, will not exceed a 2-percent increase over this year's compensation costs.

"In the realm of equity, this seems pretty reasonable," board member Sandra Salgado said. "If you're not performing, you're not getting this money. I think all the department heads understand that."

Board members who opposed the raises said it would be unwise to commit that money given the bleak financial outlook for many local governments next year.

"The more prudent thing to do would be to hold on to the money and see where we are next year instead of giving it to employees then having to take it away," board member Tina Hill said.

In a 19-5 vote, the board also approved a measure granting the sheriff, treasurer and clerk annual raises over each of the next four years equal to the Chicago region's Consumer Price Index, but not exceeding 5 percent per year.