Washoe County employees agree to pay, benefits cuts

RENO -- Washoe County commissioners have approved agreements with most of its labor groups that offered wage and benefit concessions to avoid possible layoffs.

The agreements cover about 85 percent of the county's 2,700 employees.

The 1,300 members of the Washoe County Employees Association voted in favor of 3.3 percent to 3.4 percent wage cuts.

Employee organizations were given the choice of cutting their pay, paying part of their own health care costs or a combination of the two.

In the contracts approved Tuesday, new employees hired after July 1 will not be eligible for retirement health benefits.

Agreements with sheriff deputies, district attorney investigators and justice court personnel are pending.