Columbia advisory board to recommend 15 percent pay increase for lineworkers

The Columbia Water and Light Advisory Board plans to recommend a 15 percent pay increase for linemen to the city council.

Board Chair Scott Fines said a pay increase for lineworkers is crucial to keeping the department fully staffed.

“If they aren’t paid appropriately, we won’t have skilled and educated lineworkers anymore,” Fines said.

ABC 17News has investigated the issue of electric lineworker pay at the city of Columbia. Journeyman lineworkers and line foreman are not guaranteed raises once placed into those positions. A journeyman lineworker automatically makes $31 an hour.

Fines also said the city is losing good workers to other utility companies who pay more. Independence Power & Light, for example, pays journeyman lineworkers between $43 and $50 an hour.

“Lineman workers get up on poles in snowstorms and thunderstorms, you fix high-voltage wires.” Fines said. “It’s not a job that most of us are willing to do. It’s not a job that most of us are able to do.”

The 15 percent pay increase could cost the city nearly $320,000 a year.

Ward 2 Council Member Michael Trapp said it has been challenging to keep city employees across the board. The city council adopted a policy in 2013 guaranteeing that wages be “internally equitable.” City leaders say this means they cannot give raises to city employees unless everyone can get a raise.

“We can’t just address lineworker salary in isolation, we have to treat everyone fairly,” Trapp said.

Trapp also said unless there is a new form of revenue or cuts to programs, a pay increase may not be in the budget.

The Water and Light Advisory Board plans to send its recommendation letter to the council next Monday.