Carbon County officials have reached an agreement for a new contract between the Court of Common Pleas and AFSCME District Council 87, AFL-CIO, Local 2483.

On Thursday, the commissioners voted to approve the collective bargaining agreement with the 17 court-appointed professional employees in the union for the term of Jan. 1, 2014, through Dec. 31, 2017. Nine adult probation officers, four from juvenile probation and four from domestic relations are in the union.The terms of the contract include a 3 percent raise each year during the contract.It also calls for an increase of $3.50 per pay contribution per employee for medical benefits in 2015.Commissioner William O'Gurek said that this means that employees will now pay $23.50 per pay for a single plan, $33.50 per pay for an employee and spouse.In 2016 and 2017, an additional $5 per pay each year for medical benefits will also go into effect.This is the second contract that the union has accepted since it was formed in early 2009.In March 2009, several county employees from juvenile and adult probation, as well as domestic relations filed a petition under the Public Employee Relations Act with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board.The petition requested representation by a union for "all professional court-appointed employees including, but not limited to Adult and Juvenile Probation Officer I and II, Deputy Chief Officers, Domestic Relation Support Representative, Domestic Relation Specialist I and II, and Enforcement Officers."Nonprofessional employees, management-level employees, supervisors, confidential employees and guards were excluded.In a related matter, O'Gurek took this opportunity to outline how all full-time employees are saving on their health benefits.Carbon County pays $4.6 million a year in medical coverage for the employees. Of that total, employees must pay a total of $217,000 in employee contributions through per pay deductions."We hope that employees appreciate that we can provide that medical coverage and keep their contribution rates down as much as possible," he said, noting that a single employee pays $611 a year toward their medical benefits, while the county picks up the remaining $10,156 tab. A family plan costs more, with the county paying $27,000 while the employee pays $1,261."Some of the salaries in some areas are not up to snuff and not competitive with the working world," O'Gurek said."But I think part of the compensation is not only the salary but the medical coverage and pharmacy plans and the contributions to retirement. I encourage employees to look at how much of a benefit package they are receiving, not just in pay but in benefits too."O'Gurek said the county will ask employees to contribute more to their medical benefits in future contracts.Commissioners Thomas J. Gerhard said the hourly rate may not be as good as other counties, but health benefits, vacation time and sick time help to make up for that.Chairman Wayne Nothstein added that the short travel time also helps keep some money in employees' pockets.