Mokena Officials Approve 2-Year Extension Of Union Contracts With Police, Operating Engineers

Mokena IL

25 March, 2021

12:04 PM

Description

By Jon DePaolis, the Richard Free Press: MOKENA, Ill. — The Village of Mokena Board of Trustees approved a two-year extension of union contracts and pay increases for certain Village employees Monday, March 22, during the Village Board meeting. Village Administrator John Tomasoski said during the discussion that the Village had negotiated the two-year extension of existing union contracts with both the Metropolitan Alliance of Police Unit 732 and the Local 150 Operating Engineers Collective. The items being amended in the contracts were to: extend the contract to June 30, 2022; and provide a 2.25% increase in wages. "All remaining terms of the contracts will remain [as is]," he said. Tomasoski said that by amending the contracts, it will help the Village balance its finances — particularly with the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic — and treat the employees fairly. "Our employees, management team, the union employees and all of our employees did an excellent job through the COVID pandemic [serving] our residents and our businesses in some very unique ways to try to keep the process going forward," he said. "We never shut down Village Hall, our police station or anywhere else." The trustees also voted 6-0 to approve a pay increase of 2.25% for non-union Village employees. Afterward, Mayor Frank Fleischer thanked the Village employees and unions for agreeing to the extensions. "I think everybody made out very well on this – the Village and the employees," he said. Trustee Joseph Siwinski also commented on the extension during his comments to the Village Board later in the meeting. He said he wanted to recognize the Village's employees for "the great job that they do every day." "I think we are very fortunate as a Village to have workers that come in every day and serve our public, our customers and do a tremendous job," he said. Subscribe Richard Free Press is a one-stop destination for the news that most affects you, the southwest suburban resident. Be an informed citizen of the town you live in and love.