About 50 McKean County government employees will be joining a union, including those who work for adult and juvenile probation, magisterial district judges and the court system.

The two unions filed petitions for representation with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board on March 2, McKean County Human Resources Director Kathy Roche announced to The Era on Wednesday.
“The terms and conditions of those new contracts will be determined at a later date after the negotiations process is complete,” she said. “We are in the process of scheduling negotiation sessions to begin the process.”

One of the unions is for court-appointed employees, which includes about 38 employees. This comprises full-time and regular part-time nonprofessional and professional employees who are directly involved with and necessary to the functioning of the court and who are hired, fired and directed by the courts, Roche said.

Among departments include adult and juvenile probation, domestic relations, magisterial district judge employees, security and court monitors.

About 14 employees will be part of a union for court-related employees. This union will include full-time and regular part-time nonprofessional employees who are directly involved with and necessary to the function of the courts but who are not hired, fired and directed by the courts, Roche said. Among the departments are employees of the elected row offices.

“We did communicate with the prospective union members regarding the county’s position about unionization,” Roche said. “The employees, as is their right, voted to move forward with the unionization process. Now, the parties are preparing to meet and collectively bargain the terms of each of the new contracts.”

The county has other unions, too –– for employees with Children and Youth Services, secretaries, maintenance and some in the row offices and 911 workers.

McKean County commissioners Cliff Lane and Carol Duffy did not immediately return a call seeking comment for this story.