LEWISTON — The city and the labor union representing Public Works Department employees settled on a new, three-year agreement that officials hope will address a big hole in its ranks as winter arrives.
The agreement will adjust the current wage scale for union employees, boosting starting pay for entry level highway workers from $20.58 to $21.88.
Acting City Administrator Brian O’Malley said the department is currently experiencing a “staffing crisis,” with 14 vacancies in the highway, open spaces, municipal garage and water and sewer divisions. A majority of those workers drive plows during winter storms, he said, which has added urgency for addressing the problem.
According to a memo to the City Council from O’Malley, other municipalities and area businesses offer higher salaries, and often the city will hire and train an employee to get their commercial driver’s license only to see them leave to take another job with higher pay.
O’Malley said the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1458 union asked to meet with city administration and Public Works Director Kevin Gagne to discuss solutions.
Another component of the new agreement will allow Gagne to hire more experienced applicants at higher pay scales. The current contract does not allow even experienced applicants to be hired at anything other than entry level.
Last week the City Council voted 6-1 to approve the new contract, even as several councilors noted concerns over its impact to next year’s budget.
During the discussion, Councilor David Chittim said the issue was “a classic case of ‘you get what you pay for.'” But, the other side, he said, is “there will be greater pressure” on the budget and its impact on property taxes.
“This is the dilemma that is faced every budget season,” he said, but also added, “For us not to be able to hire qualified people at the level they would expect after having (a) number of years experience at a job is ludicrous.”
Councilor Josh Nagine, who provided the lone vote in opposition, said the city needs “better efficiencies” and that it’s “frustrating” that the city is giving raises outside of the budget season.
He said the city should have conducted a study to find out what other municipalities are paying, and that the city should declare more snow bans “so we can actually effectively plow the city.”
“There are things we could do, I think, to provide a better level of service with the staff we have now,” he said. “If pay is the only way we’re going to attract people to work in this city, and it’s based not on what other communities are paying, but what the union is able to negotiate out of us, eventually we’re going to run into a situation where there’s just no money to do anything.”
Mayor Carl Sheline said that while the city is trying to hold down costs for taxpayers, “we wouldn’t be here if we didn’t have unfilled positions.”
“If we don’t have enough people to plow the snow after a storm, then what’s the point,” he said.
Nagine also questioned how many Public Works employees live in Lewiston, and how many are new Mainers.
“I’d like to have an idea of what our recruitment practices are,” he said.
The agreement also includes a 3% cost of living adjustment in each year of the contract, between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2029. The union also agreed to contribute 50% of the premium required by the Paid Family Medical Leave Act.
The issue of attracting and retaining employees was also at the center of the council’s decision last week to make a four-day work week permanent for City Hall employees.
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