The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan

Peru – Town of Peru Highway Department personnel have informed the Town Board that they would like to be represented by the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA). Peru Town Supervisor Peter Glushko informed the Town Board at its December 23, 2015 meeting that a notification has been received from the department’s employees. The town has 30 days to either recognize the union or call for a formal employee vote. The department has seven non-management employees.

Rob Wright, a Highway Department foreman, cited pay as one of the primary reasons employees are asking for union representation saying, “Eight or nine years ago Greg Timmons pushed for and got a $1 an hour raise for his men in the Water and Sewer Department. Up until then highway and water and sewer got the same pay. Today we have to work 120 to 150 hours of overtime to catch them.” Wright also cited increased health insurance costs and the small 2016 pay raise granted to town employees. He stated, “Health insurance went up $100 a month for some employees and we got a .5% raise. It’s time. The guys are fed up with some of the things that have been going on.” Wright stated that CSEA already represents employees in Saranac, Plattsburgh, Schuyler Falls and most of the larger towns.