Item: Without COLA, wages still went up: Cd'A employees got merit increases during tough economic times/Tom Hasslinger, CdA Press

More Info: A records request shows that 58 percent of all city of Coeur d'Alene benefited employees were eligible to receive 5 percent merit pay increases in fiscal year 2009-2010. That was the year the city agreed with its three employee bargaining unions not to give 3 percent Cost of Living increases to all of its employees -- as the contracts between the entities outline - due to economic reasons. So the 0 percent increase actually amounted to roughly $283,000 spread over 173 employees, out of 300.

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