SMETHPORT – Both sides in the ongoing contract negotiations
between McKean County and its newest labor union, the Court-Related
Unit, have laid their positions “on the table,” according to one
high-ranking county official.

The parties met again Wednesday afternoon and moved a few steps
closer to a resolution after negotiating for several months.

“Everything is on the table for both sides to see and now we’ll
decide where there is room for compromise and go from there,”
County Administrator Richard Casey said.

According to Casey, the union – comprised of court-related
employees in the sheriff, district attorney, prothonotary, register
of wills, public defender and coroner’s offices – presented what it
called a “comprehensive package” of its positions on the remaining
open issues during the meeting.

“We (county) are going to review it and provide the union with a
written response to the package sometime within the next two
weeks,” Casey said, noting the union will then get together and
review the county’s response.

Casey said a mediator was in attendance on Wednesday to help
facilitate the talks.

While there was no immediate time frame given for a conclusion
of the negotiations, Casey said “at least now we recognize the
remaining issues that we need to come to some sort of agreement on.
We have those all into one group now.”

The parties have been in negotiations since February. All told,
there are 14 positions involved in the union.

Until recently, both sides had been discussing the language
making up the contract, with such issues as seniority and
anti-discrimination matters already agreed upon.

The union, formed in August 2005 after the sheriff’s deputies
“broke away” from the prison, is represented by the American
Federal of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Officials said the agreement is being crafted similar to the
county’s existing contract with its prison guards.