Bonnie Peters with CSEA thanked the county legislature for voting in favor of the two union contracts Wednesday night. Photo by Gregory Bacon

MAYVILLE – The Chautauqua County Legislature has agreed to contracts with two of its unions, one of which is the largest in the county.

On Wednesday, county lawmakers approved a labor contract with CSEA Unit 6300, which has more than 700 members. It also approved a labor contract with CCSEA, which represents 118 members, most of which are dispatchers, corrections officers or other employees of the county jail.

Both contracts were unanimously approved.

Human Resources Director Deborah Makowski said both unions had approved the contracts the week before.

The CCSEA contract’s benefits were a little bit higher than the CSEA Unit 6300’s contract. County Finance Director Kitty Crow said last week that the contract for the corrections officers had more benefits because the jail is a 24/7 operation.

CSEA 6300’s agreement calls for a 3% increase in 2024, and 2025, and a 3.5% increase in 2026 and 2027.

It also gives a $1,000 bonus in 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027, paid out in two separate installments each year. The bonuses for 2025-2027 are contingent upon the inflation index. If inflation is lower than 2% the bonuses will not be awarded.

For CCSEA’s contract, it calls for wage increases of 3.5% for 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027.

Their contract has bonuses as well, which will be $1,500, paid in two equal installments each year, from 2024-2027. The resolution does not say the bonuses will be eliminated if the inflation rate is lower than 2%, like CSEA’s would be.

Crow said previously that CSEA’s contract will cost the county about $1.7 million in 2024.

Before Wednesday night’s vote, Legislator Bob Bankoski, D-Dunkirk, expressed his support. “I just think it’s a win-win for the county and the union,” he said.

Legislator Elisabeth Rankin, R-Jamestown, said she supports the contracts because it will help reduce turnover. “It’s a lot less expensive for the county to keep good people than to bring in new people and to train them,” she said.

Legislator Terry Niebel, R-Sheridan, said lawmakers need to find ways to cover the raises, instead of increasing taxes. “If we are increasing wages and salaries by $1.7 million in the local share, we should be looking for ways to save money, like with our equipment or our contractual accounts or perhaps efficiencies within the departments,” he said.

Niebel admitted that may be tall task. “We’re not going to offset the entire $1.7 million increase but maybe we could save $500,000 or $300,000 toward that $1.7 million increase,” he said.

After the vote, Bonnie Peters with CSEA thanked lawmakers for their support. “I want to remind everyone that we work in this county, we spend our money in this county and that is important to all of Chautauqua County,” she said.