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POMPTON LAKES - Boro employees' union negotiations continue
(by Leslie Scott - Staff Writer - September 24, 2008)
POMPTON LAKES - Borough employees' unions are taking turns with contract negotiations.
The union representing members of the local police department continues to appeal an arbitrator’s decision that union members would have to contribute to certain health benefit plans.
In January, Police Benevolent Association (PBA) Local No. 161 made its first appeal, which the state Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) remanded back to the arbitrator in April to provide a more thorough explanation on his decision.
“The arbitrator gave very detailed reasons,” Borough Attorney Joe Ragno said. “But the PBA says they’re not detailed enough.”
The PBA’s last contract ended December 2006. Police officers have been working without a contract since Jan. 1, 2007. There’s no contest to the salaries that would be awarded with the proposed new contract. All seem satisfied with the proposed 4-percent raise in the first year and a 4.25 percent raise each of the remaining years of the four-year contract. The proposed benefits coverage, however, continues to draw arguments.
The arbitrator had said that the borough should provide employees with NJ PLUS and the Aetna HMO plans at no cost to employees. Employees choosing a plan with a higher premium would be required to pay the difference, according to the arbitrator’s decision.
Previously, employees were offered several other healthcare choices for which they would not have to pay. But the PBA contended that the arrangement should not change.
The PBA argued that the arbitration award, which was determined after the arbitrator considered the expense that would be imposed on employees and the borough in light of rising healthcare costs, is not supported by proper healthcare data, calculations and projections.
The PBA also seeks to remove arbitrator Frank Mason because it says he didn’t comply with PERC’s regulations, according to Ragno. PBA attorney Richard Loccke did not return phone calls seeking comment before press time.
Ragno contends that the arbitrator was right the first time around.
“He reached the correct conclusions based on the facts presented to him,” he said.
According to Ragno, Loccke filed a brief earlier this month and Ragno is preparing a response brief. The decision would come when PERC is ready to offer an opinion, Ragno said.
Employee union also without contract
As the PBA continues to iron out its contract, the borough employees union has also been without a contract for the past 18 months.
“We don’t see any chance of getting a contract because they (the borough) would like concessions to insurance, but employees here don’t make enough money to put concession to their insurance,” said Jaime Morales, president of the Pompton Lakes Borough Employees Association.
Morales said that since the employee contract expired, the borough has not been following the rules of the previous contract.
“Every time we came with a grievance, they would sidebar it and change it to appease themselves,” said Morales.
Morales said the borough has also been issuing raises higher than what the previous contract authorizes.
“They are supposed to give anyone who makes a promotion a 3-percent raise and we are seeing that they are giving more than 3 percent to certain individuals,” said the president.
Ragno said the borough has been acting in compliance at every level of the law.
“We are in negotiations with these people. This is not something to be bantered about in the press or anyplace else. It’s inappropriate to be discussing this publicly,” said Ragno.
News editor Rebecca Scanlon contributed to this article.
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