BRUNSWICK

Town officials approved a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with the local unit of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME.

The unit covers administrative support positions at the town office and fire and police departments, including most of the staff in the municipal finance office.

Under terms negotiated with the union, the new contract provides a debit card for employees who participate in a medical plan, an allowance foruniforms,anda2percent annual cost of living increase, and an increase of one hour per week for staff in the tax office.

Those employees currently work 39 hours; the step to 40 hours amounts to an additional $2,700 in annual salary.

The estimated additional cost of the new contract in the first year is $25,500, according to Town Manager Gary Brown. Subsequent years would be slightly more due to the cost-of-living increases, although likely only a few hundred dollars per year, Brown added.

The Times Record Sustaining Sponsor
We believe a community must be informed to thrive. bowdoin.edu