Hoffman Estates public works staff avoid layoffs

As Hoffman Estates firefighters and police officers anxiously await developments at tonight's budget workshop, another labor union is guaranteed to avoid layoffs through 2010.

On Monday, the village board approved a three-year contract with the public works union effective Jan. 1.

Under the contract, 52 employees in the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 714 union won't get a salary raise in 2010. In 2011, their wages will increase 2.5 percent in January and an additional 1 percent in July. Raises for third and final year of the contract won't be negotiated until the end of 2011.

Hoffman Estates Mayor Bill McLeod lauded the union for making concessions while the village struggles to plug a $1.6 million to $1.8 million budget hole.

"The public works employees understand the seriousness of our financial condition, and they're willing to make sacrifices to make sure they save their colleagues jobs," McLeod said. "We're very pleased."

In 2010, the union won't receive step increases, and the compensation for public works employees who have to be on call will be reduced by half. In exchange, there will be no layoffs next year. The village also granted minor bumps in career service incentives, snow and ice stipends and tool and uniform allowances.

"It really came down to the integrity shown by our senior members who wouldn't have been affected by potential layoffs," said Jay Evans, public works union president. "This will maintain the quality of service to our residents."

While officials consider the public works contract a success, tonight's meeting of the special finance committee will shed light on whether plans to trim $400,000 from both the fire and police departments include job cuts.

Hoffman Estates officials have said they'll need to lay off five police officers and up to six firefighters should the unions fail to make concessions that would trim $400,000 from each department.

One person planning to attend is Dean Slater, head of the firefighters union. He said their contract expired last year and that they've been operating under the terms of the old agreement.

Slater said the union proposed a voluntary separation plan four months ago that would give firefighters nearing retirement five years of health insurance. The savings would total more than $400,000, Slater said.

Slater said the department has lost about six firefighters through attrition over the last six years and can't afford to lose six more. Similarly, four police officers left earlier in the year, and those positions remain unfilled.

The budget workshop begins at 5:30 p.m. at village hall, 1900 Hassell Road.