After a week that could only be described as an October nightmare, the crew of Flagship DiVecchio is having a better week.
See, who says the media can’t be fair?
County Executive Mark DiVecchio concluded successful negotiations that led to a new four year contract for county case workers and detention center staff.
While not everything the union members hoped, most conceded that it was a good start and credited DiVecchio for recognizing the pay discrepancies and moving to close the gap.
That was a lot better than the week before, when those same workers staged the first county walkout in 27 years, forcing a court judge to chide both sides back to the bargaining table.
On the same day that workers approved the new pact, DiVecchio went before cameras to announce that he was doling out 1.75 million dollars of state funds from the Governor’s Growing Greener II program.
That initiative rewards efforts that have environmental benefits, and allows local political leaders to decide what efforts would receive what.
In making the 14 recommendations (Harrisburg has the final okay) DiVecchio showed he knew the value of spreading the wealth around, granting funds from Fairview to North East and as far south as Edinboro and Corry.
Last week a proposal to give raises to his top four staff members alienated voters across the county.
This week nothing says “I Love You” like cold hard cash, and by placing the majority of the grants outside the Erie City limits, DiVecchio helped deflect the constant criticism from the outback that the City gets all the goodies.
None of this means that Flagship Divecchio has sailed completely clear of the shallows.
That dull roar heard in the distance is the other eight county bargaining units still without a deal.
While it is commendable for DiVecchio to close the gap with the case workers (even after ten months), you can be certain that every other unit will be looking for equality in the five to seven percent yearly increases approved this week.
How the Flagship sails those waters could go a long way in determining how the crew will fare during the remainder of their four-year voyage.