MONROE- Green County officials Tuesday inked labor agreements with three of its six labor unions calling for workers to pay more for retirement and health insurance benefits - changes facilitated by Gov. Walker's bid to limit collective bargaining rights for union government employees.
The agreements reached Tuesday cover AFSCME employees working in human services, the county courthouse and Pleasant View Nursing Home.
Wage increases had largely been settled for those employees - incremental hikes of about 1 percent per year, for a total of 8 percent over the 3-year contract life - but still outstanding were the issues of health and retirement contributions, officials said.
Under the changes approved in Tuesday's special meeting, employees will begin paying 12 percent of their health insurance costs, up from 10 percent in 2010, starting on Jan 1, 2012. On the retirement side, employees, under the contract, will cover half of the contributions to their annual retirement accounts, starting April 1, 2012, which previously were paid by the county.
The cuts will help make up for shortfalls of about $308,00 annually in lost state aid and highway funds - reductions the county anticipates under Walker's proposed budget, officials said.
The contract deal also ensures that "employees and the county will have a level of certainty going forward through the end of the 2013," said William E. Morgan, a Madison-based labor lawyer who represented the union locals in the talks.
That sentiment was shared by a state AFSCME official who signed off on the agreement immediately following the meeting.
"I'm pleased we've been able to reach agreements and ensure stability for the next three years," said Jack Bernfeld of Madison, who is associate director of AFSCME Council 40.
Morgan told the board that Walker's collective bargaining bill was a factor in the agreement, despite lingering state court challenges to its recent passage.
Had an agreement not been passed, the outstanding benefit issues could leave the county and its unions mired in arbitration or court challenges.
"I think this is a good bargain for both sides," he said, adding that both gave ground in the talks and that the deal should help avert any future layoffs.
The agreement also includes a formula to split between employees and the county a special surcharge incurred when the county recently switched to the state's health insurance plan.
Beyond the labor agreements, county officials said lingering uncertainty around cuts from Walker's budget - especially in the area of human services - will continue to be a wild card in the budgeting process.
"There are a lot of unknowns at the moment," said County Board President Art Carter.
The agreements reached Tuesday cover AFSCME employees working in human services, the county courthouse and Pleasant View Nursing Home.
Wage increases had largely been settled for those employees - incremental hikes of about 1 percent per year, for a total of 8 percent over the 3-year contract life - but still outstanding were the issues of health and retirement contributions, officials said.
Under the changes approved in Tuesday's special meeting, employees will begin paying 12 percent of their health insurance costs, up from 10 percent in 2010, starting on Jan 1, 2012. On the retirement side, employees, under the contract, will cover half of the contributions to their annual retirement accounts, starting April 1, 2012, which previously were paid by the county.
The cuts will help make up for shortfalls of about $308,00 annually in lost state aid and highway funds - reductions the county anticipates under Walker's proposed budget, officials said.
The contract deal also ensures that "employees and the county will have a level of certainty going forward through the end of the 2013," said William E. Morgan, a Madison-based labor lawyer who represented the union locals in the talks.
That sentiment was shared by a state AFSCME official who signed off on the agreement immediately following the meeting.
"I'm pleased we've been able to reach agreements and ensure stability for the next three years," said Jack Bernfeld of Madison, who is associate director of AFSCME Council 40.
Morgan told the board that Walker's collective bargaining bill was a factor in the agreement, despite lingering state court challenges to its recent passage.
Had an agreement not been passed, the outstanding benefit issues could leave the county and its unions mired in arbitration or court challenges.
"I think this is a good bargain for both sides," he said, adding that both gave ground in the talks and that the deal should help avert any future layoffs.
The agreement also includes a formula to split between employees and the county a special surcharge incurred when the county recently switched to the state's health insurance plan.
Beyond the labor agreements, county officials said lingering uncertainty around cuts from Walker's budget - especially in the area of human services - will continue to be a wild card in the budgeting process.
"There are a lot of unknowns at the moment," said County Board President Art Carter.