Grant PUD gives raise to employees

EPHRATA — In a 4-1 vote, Grant County PUD commissioners approved a 4 percent pay raise for nonunion employees Monday.

Union employees received pay raises of 4 percent in 2008 and 3.5 percent in 2009, said Grant PUD General Manager Tim Culbertson.

Nonunion managers received a 3 percent increase in 2008, he said.

Commissioners Terry Brewer, Bob Bernd, Greg Hansen and Tom Flint voted for the increase.

Before they voted, commissioners discussed public perception, the importance of employees’ jobs and previous pay raises for the utility’s union employees.

Commissioner Randy Allred voted against the proposal, saying he had concerns with the 4 percent salary increase and the cost of living in Grant County.

“In Grant County, I can’t imagine what’s gone up,” Allred said. “I struggle with a 4 percent increase.”

During discussion, Culbertson said the state increased the utility’s contribution by 3 percent into the state Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) program for employee pensions.

As a result, employees saw a negative return and didn’t see a raise at all because they paid more in PERS for their retirement, Culbertson explained.

Grant PUD Human Resources Manager Hilde Carlsen said the employee retirement contribution increased from an all time low of 1.54 percent to about 5 percent.

Commissioner Bob Bernd said he agreed with previous union negotiations, but it would be nice to undo some things.

It’s not fair to tell nonunion employees things have changed and penalize them for a situation that’s evolved over the years, Bernd noted.

Bernd also said the PUD experienced problems with union employees not wanting to accept management positions because of compensation.

About 57 union employees earned total gross wages of more than $100,000 each in 2008, while about 32 management employees earned more than $100,000 each, according to a Dec. 29 memo written to commissioners by PUD Treasurer/Controller Jim Bunch and Carlsen.

“This environment creates a clear disincentive for bargaining unit employees to advance into management as well as many other challenges related to supervision of higher paid employees by lower paid employees,” the memo states.

Allred said it’s ironic the PUD has to compete with its own union.

On a regional level, the PUD hired people for nonunion positions in a heartbeat, Allred said.

Culbertson said the situation depends on the position and added the PUD  has openings for linemen everyday.

Carlsen said it takes the utility six months to fill engineering positions, with the PUD settling for an applicant with less experience.

Hansen said the public often tells him how high salaries are as compared to others in the county.

Comparable secretarial and assistant positions at the PUD pay quite a bit higher, which also needs to be taken into account, Hansen added.

Commissioner Tom Flint said he wasn’t against taking a strategic look at salaries.

But to be fair to all employees, Flint explained he was in favor of moving ahead on the motion.

“We’ve all heard the PUD wage scale is more than the rest of the county,” Flint said.

He said he was also sensitive to the fact that employees have a higher responsibility for  working within the electric system.

Flint called approving the raises the right thing to do.

Carlsen said she the PUD’s salaries are pretty comparable with similarly sized utilities and also said about how the union negotiated to have an insurance advisory committee.

Brewer said he understands the sensitivity regarding public sector pay raises.

He also said the PUD isn’t implementing a rate increase to cover salaries and he thought the salary increase was warranted.