Sylvania council appoves raise for nonunion city employees

Sylvania Council Chambers and Police Division in August.

Sylvania City council approved an ordinance granting over $50,000 in salary raises for next year built on a 2.5 percent pay increase for city employees.

With the approval, 29 nonunion city employees will receive raises effective Jan. 1, 2018.

The salary ordinance passed unanimously at the Monday evening meeting with minimal discussion and virtually no council debate.

This is the third consecutive year union and nonunion city employees received a slight pay raise. The salary increase mirrors what has already been negotiated for union employees in the city, who also will receive a 2.5% salary increase per their union contracts.

“The thought process historically is the city has provided similar raises for management employees and the nonunion employees,” said Councilman Mark Frye.

This is the third and final year of the union’s current contract with the city, said Mayor Craig Stough. They will negotiate their contracts later this year.

“This is an annual ordinance attempting to have the pay raises of nonunion city employees match the contracts for the unions,” Mr. Stough said.

There are four separate unions that represent Sylvania’s city employees.

Most of the additional $50,000 salary difference will come out of the general fund, with the exception of water and sewer employees, whose salaries are paid out of the water and sewage fund.

Mr. Frye said a lot of municipalities ensure their nonunion employee raises reflect the union city employee raises.

“Generally speaking most public entities have a similar process where management employees are aligned with the unions,” he said.

Contact Javonte Anderson at janderson@theblade.com, 419-724-6065, or on Twitter @JavonteA.