For the first time since the Great Recession hit in 2008, a handful of employees at Oak Park Village Hall are getting raises.
Since Jan. 1, 2008, about 85 workers who aren’t in labor unions — including the chief financial officer, police chief and village planner — have had their pay frozen. But this year village hall decided to loosen its belt a little, giving those employees a 2-percent pay boost.
Village Manager Tom Barwin pointed to a recent community survey, which he said gave many of those employees high marks for their work. Oak Park was battling with huge budget deficits back in late 2007 and has improved its financial position since then, he added.
“I think the combination of this 36-month sacrifice and their dedication and efforts to help us eliminate the deficit made this a very appropriate and timely adjustment,” he said.
Barwin said the pay hikes were pretty much across the board for those 85 employees, though it’s possible that a few may have stayed on a pay freeze at the discretion of their department manager. All together, the raises will cost the village an extra $124,480 this year, according to Frank Spataro, the human resources director.
Oak Park has eight labor unions representing its other employees, and Barwin said that many of those workers have gotten pay boosts during the same three-year period. Before the recession, non-union workers were regularly getting a pay hike of 2.5 to 3 percent each year.
“Most of the unions here have received contractual adjustments. Minor ones, but still something,” Barwin said. “It was a matter of equity really.”
