By Justin Strawser
The Daily Item
SUNBURY, Pa. — An estimated 65 unionized correctional officers at the new Northumberland County Prison have a new contract.
The three-year collective bargaining agreement with the National Correctional Employees Union Local 133 was approved by Commissioners Rick Shoch, Sam Schiccatano and Kymberley Best at Tuesday’s meeting. It calls for a 40-cent raise retroactive to Nov. 1, and a 75-cent raise for both 2019 and 2020, according to human relations director Joe Picarelli.
For the first time, the employees are paying an insurance deductible for health care insurance. They now have a $250 deductible for single and a $500 deductible (annual) for other than single on top of their premium share, Picarelli said.
Budget Director Stephen Cook said the prison board set up a committee to monitor operations of the new prison at the Northumberland County South Campus in Coal Township.
“The committee has not officially met but had discussions Wednesday about projected staff for 2019 but have not finalized those totals yet,” Cook said. “Therefore impact is not known since those positions will be reflected in the total staff we agree upon.”
Last month, the new $31.6 million Northumberland County Prison opened at the Northumberland County South Campus, which is the former Northwestern Academy site, in Coal Township. Following a fire in January 2015, the county’s correctional system was headquartered within a wing at the State Correctional Institution in Coal Township, and the county was working with a reduced staff for the last three years.
The contract was passed with no discussion among the commissioners.