Montgomery County Executive Matthew Ossenfort announced Tuesday that a memorandum of agreement has been reached between the county and its correctional officers, who are represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 294.
The correctional officers have been working without a contract since the previous agreement lapsed Dec. 31, 2012. The new contract would extend through the end of 2017. Employees would receive a 3 percent raise retroactive to 2015 and 2 percent raises in 2016 and 2017. The Personnel Committee of legislature approved the memorandum of agreement at its meeting Tuesday; the full legislature will vote on it at its meeting April 26. Once it is approved by the legislature, employees will receive “off-schedule” bonuses ranging from $250 to $1,250, based on when they were hired.
Also according to the memorandum of agreement, employees will contribute more toward their health insurance. Current employees will contribute 7.5 percent; those hired after the contract is ratified will contribute 15 percent. Ossenfort said the latter figure is in line with other bargaining units in the county.
Employees who were previously required to undergo annual testing for drugs or alcohol will be subject to random testing under the new agreement.
In announcing the agreement at Tuesday’s committee meeting, Ossenfort said $174,420 would need to be transferred from the county’s contingency fund to pay for the first year of the new contract.
