Do not meet your criteria brother (staff attys not union) but have had similar fights over lack of parity between first assistants.  The guy from Archer is a lying idiot.  The "first asst. DA is the same pay grade as the chief pd because the elected DA is part time."

David Crowley
Chief Public Defender
2d Floor Courthouse Annex Ste. 202
106 E. High Street
Bellefonte, PA  16823
814-355-6798
drcrowley@centrecountypa.gov

-----Original Message-----
From: chiefdefenders@pdap.simplelists.com <chiefdefenders@pdap.simplelists.com> On Behalf Of Jason LaBar
Sent: Friday, January 10, 2025 8:02 AM
To: chiefdefenders@pdap.simplelists.com
Subject: Union Pay Scale

**** This email originated from a source outside of Centre County’s network. Please use caution before clicking on links and opening attachments. ****

Colleagues,

I am looking for some help. My Commissioners recently did a county wide reclassification through Archer. As part of the study they graded my Deputy position as a 17 while the 1st Assistant DA as a 20. I asked them to reconsider, which they agreed but they want me to collect and provide comparisons. So this is where you come into to play. I must provide at least 5 other counties which have similar pay structure as Monroe County, so if you fit the following criteria can you please reach out to me.

1. Your row attorneys are unionized
2. Your row attorneys are paid equal salary as the DAs 3. Your starting salary for the Union is between $70k-$80k 4. Your union contract has step progression with something close to 5/10/20 year longevity bumps(Monroe has 2/5/10/15/20) 5. The steps are close to $95k@5, $110k@10, and $120k@20 6. Your deputy position salary is above $120k.

Interesting enough before the study they never gave issue with negotiating management salaries but now they want a more formal pay structure since a new Chief Clerk was hired. The Chief Clerk almost got a knuckle sandwich arguing with me when he refused to acknowledge they are like for like positions. I kept saying “so you like perpetuating the public opinion that public defenders are somehow less qualified less experienced than real lawyers in the DAs office after agreeing to a grant that mandates the County to move toward salary parity.”

“Help me Chief defenders, you’re my only hope”

Princess Leia
Sent from my iPhone
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