SEIU members polled to prep for bargaining

The Service Employees International Union is firing an early shot and getting direction from members as it prepares to bargain on behalf of Clark County employees.

The SEIU, the county’s largest union, is using a recent round of pay increases the county gave to upper management to describe its desired treatment when labor talks start.

It also recently wrapped up surveys of its 5,000 members who work for the county in preparation for labor negotiations. Those surveys will determine the priorities of the union.

Nearly five years into the recession, the negotiations also are likely to focus on the question of how rapidly the county is emerging from a deep recession. It has been a rough ride for county government since the recession hit in 2008. The county, like other governments, has made deep cuts as revenues have dropped.

Its workforce of 10,387 full-time employees is 23 percent smaller than when the recession hit, and the general fund budget is $275 million less than it was five years ago.

The contract between the union and county expires June 30. A start date for negotiations hasn’t been scheduled.

Union highlights recent raises

In describing its desired treatment, the union points to 2 percent salary raises given to upper county management staffers, including County Manager Don Burnette, this year.

“We, like the county, are relieved the economy has turned the corner,” union spokeswoman Erin Neff said in a statement. “We’re pleased to see upper management receiving raises after making their own financial sacrifices during the downturn. We don’t oppose the raise for Don Burnette; we just hope to see the same type of treatment trickling down to the workers who actually make the county run.”

In an interview, Burnette said the negotiations could start in several weeks, adding that the schedules still need to be set. He also expressed a willingness to talk about salary increases in the negotiations.

“The county offered wage increases as part of the last contract negotiations, so, of course, I’m open to discussing wage increases for our employees,” he said in a statement. “But out of respect for the bargaining process, I am going to decline further comment.”

About 320 upper management county employees received average pay increases of 2 percent this year, according to county statistics. They also faced 2 percent pay cuts in 2011, according to county figures.

When factoring in longevity pay increases, the average salary increase for upper management employees since 2008 is
0.9 percent, according to county figures.

The SEIU represents public workers in divisions such as McCarran International Airport, the Department of Family Services and water reclamation.

SEIU average salary increases since 2008 total about 13 percent during that same time period when factoring in a combination of merit, cost-of-living allowance and longevity bumps, county figures show.

The union also has made concessions. In 2011, SEIU’s county employees took
2 percent across-the-board pay cuts, and University Medical Center employees experienced a 4 percent cut.

Early stages of recovery

The county is in the early stages of an economic recovery, according to a report the county presented to state lawmakers Feb. 11.

Consolidated tax collections are projected to reach $278 million in fiscal year 2013, up from $270 million in fiscal year 2012. That is still down from a high of $341.8 million in fiscal year 2006. Consolidated taxes consist of sales taxes and other taxes on cigarettes, liquor and real property tax transfers and the motor vehicle privilege tax.

Meanwhile, property tax collections are projected at $253.4 million for this fiscal year, a drop for the fourth year running. In the past fiscal year, property tax collections were $276.3 million.

Since the recession has hit, state and local government employees in Nevada continue to be among the highest paid in the nation, though Nevada’s ranking has dropped a notch.

Average salaries for Nevada public employees working in local and state government ranked 10th highest in the nation, according to a 2010 report compiled by the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce.

The state’s ranking of public employees has dropped since the chamber’s 2009 report, which pegged the Silver State’s compensation of public employees at ninth highest in the nation.

Contact reporter Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal. com or 702-405-9781.