Toledo refuse workers may get significant pay raises

Toledo's 65 refuse workers will be getting significant pay raises if a fact-finder's recommendations are incorporated into their new contract.

Under the fact-finder's recommendations, refuse truck drivers would jump two pay grades immediately, taking their top hourly scale to $21.09 from its current $18.

They would then be in line for a 2 percent or 3 percent raise later in the contract, depending on whether the city wanted to pay the raises in the second or third year of the contract.

Moreover, new refuse workers would continue to get a city pickup of 8.5 percent of their pension contributions, unlike other new municipal hires, who have to pay 100 percent of their own pension contributions,

Council had the opportunity to reject the fact-finder's report Tuesday, but fell one vote short of the 60 percent majority — or eight votes — needed to do so. The vote was seven in favor of rejection and four in favor of acceptance.