Michigan City board approves two‑year AFSCME contract covering street, vector and clerical staff
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Summary
The Michigan City Board of Public Works and Safety unanimously approved a two‑year AFSCME contract that covers street crews, certain clerical positions and the vector department; the agreement includes a 2% raise, holiday adjustments, and a 50/50 retiree insurance cost split for qualifying long‑service retirees.
The Michigan City Board of Public Works and Safety voted unanimously Dec. 1 to approve a two‑year contract with AFSCME covering the street department, some clerical positions and the vector department beginning in 2026.
Attorney LePage, who negotiated the agreement, told the board the contract includes a 2% wage increase, alignment of holiday schedules with the general employee manual (removing Presidents' Day and Columbus Day while granting employees three personal days to select as holidays), and a 50/50 cost split for retiree health insurance for employees who meet the term‑of‑service threshold. She also said current employees would be grandfathered at existing longevity and vacation bonus rates while hires after Jan. 1, 2026, would return to an earlier pay scale as a cost‑saving measure.
“The AFSCME unions already voted in favor of this, so we just need the board’s approval and signature,” Attorney LePage said during her presentation.
Board members asked a few clarifying questions; no public comments were raised on the item. A motion to approve the contract was made and seconded and carried by unanimous voice vote.
The board did not list an exact effective date beyond the two‑year term referenced in the presentation. The contract will be signed as part of the board’s administrative process and implemented in coordination with payroll.