EDITOR’S NOTE: Superiorland Yesterdays is prepared by reference desk staff at Peter White Public Library in Marquette.

30 years ago

MARQUETTE – Union members at Peter White Library remain without a contract despite almost two years of on-again, off-again contract bargaining. A Jan. 23 mediation session proposed by representatives of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees will not take place because two of the library’s three negotiators were not available. A new date has not been set, said Peter Dompierre, staff representative of AFSCME Council 25 in Marquette. The primary stumbling block is wages and benefits, said Dompierre. The union, formed in April 1990, covers 22 non-supervisory employees and seven supervisory employees.

60 years ago

SAULT STE. MARIE – Close upon the heels of the Marquette city commission’s decision to reduce salaries of all city employees five and 10 percent, has come the proposal of Sault Ste. Marie to cut all salaried city employees from seven to 12 percent. “The salary reductions are expected to save the Sault $3,394 a year. It is understood that the city commission’s view on the matter,” a dispatch from that city states, “was that the cost of living has decreased enough to warrant the cuts. However, commissioners at no time considered cutting the wages of low pay employees, particularly labor.” In this respect the Sault commission differs from that of Marquette. “The lowest cut, seven percent, was taken by those receiving $1,800 per year,” the Sault story reads, “while the greatest slash was made to the salary of the city manager, 12 ? percent. This cut reduces that salary from $6,000 a year to $5,250, a $750 reduction.” City Manager Henry G. Sherman, of Sault Ste. Marie, will place the slashed budget of $195,000, representing a reduction of $8,000 as compared with 1931, in the hands of the city commission soon.