Schaumburg approves 4-year contract with support, inspection staff

Schaumburg trustees Tuesday unanimously approved a four-year union contract retroactive to last May that will cause an estimated 3% annual cost increase for the pay of the village's clerical, support and inspection staff.

In its first year, already two-thirds over, the contract will bring a cost increase of $165,000 - which is $2,019 above what had been budgeted.

"We were very close to budget," Schaumburg Human Resources Director Ann Everhart said.

Usually unions are specific to one village department, but the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1919 has members in every department except communications, economic development, general government and human resources. It includes auxiliary police officers, property and code inspectors, and office staff, among others.

Effective last May 1, the minimum of the pay range increases 2.5% while the maximum increases 1%.

On May 1 of 2022, 2023 and 2024, the minimum will increase 2% and the maximum by 1%.

This particular Schaumburg union has 82 full-time and 58 part-time members.

A representative of AFSCME Local 1919 could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

This is only the third contract between the village and its newest employee union. In 2018, members decried what ultimately became a 16-month delay to approval of their second contract.

Though negotiations for the new contract were also assisted by a federal mediator, Everhart said they did move faster with more of the long-term aspects already worked out.

Though COVID-19 caused many of the negotiations to be done via Zoom, Everhart added that the pandemic had a bigger impact on the process than anything in the language of the contract.