Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Labor Wages topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County employees and Teamsters press Atlantic County commissioners for living wages amid contract talks
Summary
Multiple county employees and Teamsters Local 331 representatives urged the Atlantic County Board of Commissioners to negotiate meaningful wage increases, citing ongoing contract negotiations, persistent low biweekly pay (cited repeatedly as $900), and a recent favorable pilot settlement that union speakers said should make more funds available.
During the public-comment portion of the Atlantic County Board of Commissioners meeting, several county employees and Teamsters Local 331 representatives urged the board to secure higher wages in ongoing contract negotiations for four bargaining units.
Erica Rassman (speaker 5), principal officer and secretary in charge of Teamsters Local 331, told commissioners that the union is negotiating four county contracts and that members are concerned county counterproposals would yield less than the prior contract. Rassman said many members currently take home about $900 every two weeks and called that "not a living wage," asking commissioners to "hold the county's feet to the fire." The same concern was echoed by other public commenters and union representatives.
Ronald Branch (speaker 7) and Jay Sepulveda (speaker 11), who identified himself as a heavy equipment operator, described the practical effects of low wages: difficulty covering basic needs, holding multiple jobs, and the erosion of pay gains by rising health-insurance costs. Sepulveda said some long-tenured employees did not receive the same increases given to newer staff.
Abby Milo Ortiz (speaker 12), also speaking for Teamsters Local 331, urged commissioners to consider "meaningful wage increases" for county employees, calling them "the backbone of our community." Shonda Stevens (speaker 9), a county sheriff's office employee, described pride in county work but said many employees still qualify for public assistance and cannot afford family needs. Carol Simon Murphy (speaker 10), a human-services employee, observed that the county's recent pilot-settlement revenue and the county executive's statements about improved county finances mean the administration should now reflect that improved position in employee wages.
Union and employee speakers asked the board to act with equity and consistency, noting that the workforce sustained county services through tight fiscal years and should share in improved finances. The board did not take action during the meeting to change contract terms; public comments were acknowledged and the public-comment period was closed.
