UMC wage concession dispute to be mediated

Clark County will go to "binding fact-finding" with its largest union to resolve a dispute arising from University Medical Center employees rejecting a proposed 2 percent pay cut in April.

County and union officials are vetting prospective mediators and expect to conduct the fact-finding session by early June.

Both sides have agreed that the mediator's decision will be binding, which could result in a compromise. That differs from arbitration, in which one party's final offer is accepted and the other is rejected.

Neither side would discuss what they aimed to propose in the hearing.

Commissioner Mary Beth Scow said she is glad there will be a chance to find middle ground instead of the all-or-nothing tack of arbitration.

"A much better avenue," Scow said.

Union hospital workers voted against a pay reduction last month that would have saved UMC an estimated $5.5 million.

About 2,800 UMC workers belong to the Service Employees International Union Local 1107. They work under a contract that differs from the bulk of the county's SEIU employees who approved a 2 percent pay cut and other concessions.

UMC workers receive an average base wage of $55,000 a year and $18,000 in benefits.

Many of the employees, especially nurses, complain that they make less money than their counterparts at private hospitals, according to union representatives.

Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani agreed that nurses have a legitimate gripe about their wages being lower than nurses at other area hospitals.

Binding fact-finding will offer a quicker way to handle these and other labor issues than arbitration, she said. "The faster you can move through the process, the better it is for the county and employees."

Still, county managers have told unions that they must make concessions or face layoffs. The economic slump has left the county with a $100 million shortfall, which is aside from the $125 million the county could lose this year from legislative actions.

The county plans to lay off 83 workers and cut 126 vacant jobs to help offset the $100 million gap. The remaining hole will be filled with money from a reserve fund.

Commissioners will vote on a final budget Monday to submit to the state by the June 1 deadline. However, the county is allowed to adjust the budget after that for legislative actions and changes in labor contracts.

Commissioner Tom Collins argued it was better to scale back benefits and longevity pay for savings instead of trimming wages, which he said has a bad ripple effect on the economy.

"Pay cuts reduce expendable income," Collins said. "That's what keeps (local) shops open."

Contact reporter Scott Wyland at swyland@review journal.com or 702-455-4519.