Some county employees have new contracts

Winneshiek County supervisors Wednesday afternoon unanimously approved new two-year contracts with three unions representing around 50 county employees.

The contracts with jailers, deputies and road workers will go into effect July 1st, replacing existing agreements.  The agreement calls for using the Midwest Consumer Price Index (CPI) to determine many of the pay raises, with a floor of 2.5 percent pay raises and a ceiling of 3.0 percent pay raises.

The three new contracts come as state legislators in Des Moines are discussing major changes to Iowa's rules governing negotiations with public employee unions.  Winneshiek County supervisor Dean Thompson said Wednesday the approval of the three local contracts will give the county "two years of certainty" while state lawmakers--and possibly judges--weigh in on the statewide changes.

County Board Chair John Logsdon also praised the local agreements.  "We made the deals in good faith and we're going to stick with them," he said Wednesday.