JOHNSTOWN - Fulton County government's 480-member general union wants to move on negotiating a new contract, and a county administration representative said initial talks may start in the next few weeks.

Perth Supervisor Gregory Fagan, chairman of the Board of Supervisors' Personnel Committee, said Wednesday he received a letter from Local 818, Civil Service Employees Association requesting the start of a new round of negotiations.

"We have not started that yet," Fagan said, although the county wants to start talks in the next few weeks.

Local 818, which county officials often refer to as the "general unit," has about 480 members and includes a variety of county personnel, including clerks, support staff, highway, buildings and grounds, and solid waste workers.

Last November, the Fulton County Board of Supervisors approved a one-year contract carrying a 2.75 percent pay raise for the county's largest union, which officials at the time said was purposefully short so both sides could eventually hammer out a longer-term deal.

The current general unit pact expires Dec. 31. Most county contracts are normally for three or four years.

Fagan, who serves as board vice chairman and is due to be chairman next year, said supervisors are busy at this time trying to get a handle on the county's proposed $104 million budget for 2010 that carries a 6.4 percent average property-tax rate increase. County employee benefits are due to increase by 14 percent, or $1.8 million, for next year. No county layoffs are being proposed at this point for 2010, although supervisors have agreed to cut five vacant positions for next year.

"Things are pretty uncertain," Fagan said of the county's financial future.

He said any time the county negotiates a new contract, the "first thing" looked at is trying to balance the costs of what the county can afford.

Local 818 President Ron Briggs said his union is aware of the county's fiscal situation, but the union is nonetheless anxious to move ahead on negotiations. He said the formal request was made because the end of the current deal is looming.

"That's just a common practice," Briggs said. "I'm just looking to review the contract. The economy is the economy and we have some issues."

The union president said county employees know the coming year is a tough one for county government.

"It will be difficult," Briggs said. "I think employees are aware of that. I don't think employees are asking for the world."

Ideally, he said the hope is to have a new union contract approved before the current one runs out, but realistically that probably won't happen this time. Briggs said the new contract probably won't be worked out until sometime next year.

Fulton County government has three other unions.

In March, the county and the Nurses Unit approved a one-year contract carrying 2.5 percent raises.

The county's other unions are the Fulton County Deputy Sheriff's Police Benevolent Association, representing road patrol officers; and the Fulton County Sheriff's Office Employees Alliance, which represents jail corrections officers, jail and civil office personnel and 911 dispatchers.

Fulton County supervisors Jan. 12 approved a five-year contract with the PBA carrying annual 2 percent wage increases. That five-year agreement was retroactive to Jan. 1, 2008, and runs through Dec. 31, 2012.

In May 2008, the Board of Supervisors approved a contract for the alliance, which contained 3.25 percent raises. It was retroactive to Jan. 1, 2008 and runs until Dec. 31, 2011.

Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com