Raises approved for about 40 Des Plaines municipal workers under new 3-year deal
About 40 Des Plaines municipal employees will get small pay raises as part of a newly approved labor contract.
The pact with the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees applies to clerks, secretaries, building inspectors and other employees.
The affected workers are in the city's engineering, community and economic development, finance, information technology and police departments. None are sworn police officers.
The contract - approved by the city council on Monday without discussion - calls for the affected workers to receive 1.5% pay raises this year and again in 2022.
Additionally, $500 will be added to top of salary range for the workers.
The contract actually is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2020. No raise was approved for that first year. The workers' previous contract expired Dec. 31, 2019.
Contract negotiations began in August 2019. The hiring of a new human resources director and the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the drawn-out negotiation process, city spokeswoman Jennie Vana said.
Regardless, negotiations with the group typically take a year, Vana said.
The union approved the deal Feb. 19.
Vana called the negotiations "collaborative."