Carbon County Commissioners on Thursday agreed to a 12% raise for six sergeants at the prison after examining the pay scale and the duties these individuals do on a daily basis.

The board unanimously approved a memorandum of agreement with the Teamsters Local Union 773 representing the sergeants. This contract is effective Jan. 1, 2020, through Dec. 31, 2022.

The first year in the agreement, a separate agreement under the Teamsters union contract that covers both sergeants and corrections officers at the prison, calls for a 12% wage increase, and 3% increases in the second and third years.

Commissioner Chris Lukasevich said that while he is for giving the employees raises to meet the needs of the position, he has some reservations with this contract, which he stressed is not a collective bargaining unit agreement. He said it sets a precedent for future negotiations with the four unions that represent approximately 115 Carbon County employees.

“My decision on where I stand is this is basically the fact that I believe we are setting a precedent here and an expectation of a 3% increase, not only for the union employees, but also all employees,” he said. “I think no person should come here to the county and lose money every year because of inflation. Inflation-based raises are absolutely necessary and critical but it has to be done in a fiscally responsible manner and beyond the cost of inflation ... it should be merit-based raises.

“My concern, while I think this is an important agreement that should be accepted ... (is that) this may be used in the future bargaining for a particular position that unions or other employees may make.”

The county will be looking at upcoming union contract negotiations over the next two years, with one coming up for renewal this year, while the other three will be in 2021.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein said pay rates ranged from $19.83 to $22.99 per hour prior to the action.

Nothstein said the pay was increased because the sergeants, in supervisory position, were in some cases paid less than the corrections officers they oversee.

“This is why it is such a large increase the first year,” he said. “It’s to get them back in line to a management level where they should be.”

Commissioner Rocky Ahner agreed, saying that this action will help re-establish a chain of command.

“It looks scary at 12%, but ... now these people will be on a higher step with more management and disciplinary authority,” Ahner said.

The sergeants’ new hourly rate will range from $22.21 to $25.75 per hour.