About 2,000 Baltimore County employees will forgo annual raises this year after they voted to reject a labor contract that reduced health care benefits and extended the minimum age for retirement.
More than 90 percent of the county branch of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees sacrificed raises to vote against extending the minimum retirement age for employees with fewer than 30 years of service from 60 to 65.
The proposal is estimated to force about 47 percent of the county?s employees to work longer than expected to retire with full benefits.
“There are thieves in government who are trying to steal retirement from people who are just a paycheck away from public assistance,” said Glen Middleton, the union?s executive director.
The proposals have been controversial as the County Council prepares to approve a budget for 2008. The union was the only one of six to reject the council?s offer, though other union contracts were narrowly ratified.
County administrators said the changes are necessary to prepare for state funding cuts and account for a new law requiring governments to prefund retirement benefits, estimated as a $2 billion county liability.
Don Mohler, a spokesman for County Executive Jim Smith, said the union members will continue to work under the same contract as this year.
“It?s unfortunate, but we?ll be back at the bargaining table next year,” Mohler said.
Several council members said they were considering modifying the proposal to exclude about 430 former employees and current employees close to 60.
