CRANBERRY TWP — The township supervisors Tuesday morning approved a three-year contract with Teamsters Local 538 that includes nearly 4 percent annual raises for about 20 employees.

The new agreement, which is effective July 2 until June 30, 2011, includes a 3.95 wage increase this year, 3.8 percent in 2009 and 3.8 percent in 2010.

The contract covers employees in the streets department, parks maintenance, traffic signals, fleet maintenance and maintenance workers at the Cranberry Highlands Golf Course.

Bettelou Bertoncello, assistant township manager/administration, said the agreement includes a trial four-day, 40-hour work week during the spring and summer months for employees.

If the new four-day work week doesn't work out, the township can cancel it at any time and use an five-day work day week.

Bertoncello said the four-day work week wasn't driven by high gasoline prices, which have led other communities such as Seven Fields to give employees the option of a four-day work week.

The change occurred because larger projects sometimes require longer hours to get the work done, she said.

Another change is for health care benefits. The union agreed to the township's Highmark plan with a higher deductible than in previous years and higher physician and pharmacy co-payments.

Beginning on July 1, 2009, union employees will contribute $5 per pay toward medical premiums. That will increase to $7 per pay on July 1, 2010.