Apple Valley Maintenance Employees Get 1.88% Raise for 2012

Apple Valley maintenance workers represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees will received a 1.88 percent annualized wage increase for 2012.

The Apple Valley City Council passed the one-year labor agreement at its Thursday meeting; the contract affects 51 full-time maintenance employees.

The city's contributions to the employees' insurance will remain the same, according to a memo to the council, at a maximum $870 per month for employees enrolled in a copay plan, and up to $950 per month for those enrolled in a high-deductible plan.

Negotiations took about three months, said city Human Resources Manager Dawn Pearson; she wrote in an email that the city has "very positive labor relations" with its employees, and that the negotiations were professional and cordial.

"Our employees work hard and provide a good value to our citizens and businesses, which is very important in these challenging economic times," Pearson wrote.