As reported by nj.com, talk of fiscal belt-tightening has become common over the last year in the halls of Union County government. Now, with an executive budget set to be unveiled Thursday, the real scope of Union County’s money troubles is coming into focus: Officials say they must close a $36 million deficit, and nearly 300 layoffs could be part of the tab. They attribute the large deficit to a significant decrease in state reimbursements, coupled with rising operating costs.

As part of the proposal, some 280 employees will be laid off unless the county receives an infusion of state funding and reaches last-minute accords with labor unions, all of which have been asked to voluntarily agree to annual salary cuts equal to three days’ pay. Layoff plans have already been filed with the state, and as many as 44 positions will be eliminated May 1, with the remainder on June 1. It’s the first time in three years the county has eliminated workers’ jobs and the largest layoff plan in at least 13 years.

Prior to the announcement, three unions, Policemen’s Benevolent Association Local 73, County Police Rank and File, PBA Local 73A, County Police Superior Officers, and the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 68, had agreed to the three-day reduction in salary. Freeholders, the county manager and department heads will also take the pay cut.

Several unions are still discussing the give-back with county management, including the leaders of PBA Local 199, which represents the jail’s rank-and-file officers. They’ll ask their membership to vote on the pay cut this week. The county hasn’t said how many positions may be eliminated at the jail, said Ken Burkert, a delegate for the union.

Even if every union agreed to the salary cuts, the savings would not preserve all the jobs slated for elimination, said Human Services director Frank Guzzo. He said it would net about $1.8 million, enough to save 40 jobs. Between layoffs, the elimination of 72 unfilled positions and the termination of several events and programs, the county expects to save about $10 million. The additional $26 million in cuts will come from broad and sweeping expenditure reductions and a tax increase, officials said, though it’s too soon to say how big the hike will be.

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DONALD C. BARBATI, JR.

Donald C. Barbati is a shareholder of Crivelli, Barbati & DeRose, L.L.C. His primary practice revolves around the representation of numerous public employee labor unions in various capacities to include contract negotiation, unfair labor practice litigation, contract grievance arbitration, and other diverse issues…

Donald C. Barbati is a shareholder of Crivelli, Barbati & DeRose, L.L.C. His primary practice revolves around the representation of numerous public employee labor unions in various capacities to include contract negotiation, unfair labor practice litigation, contract grievance arbitration, and other diverse issues litigated before the courts and administrative tribunals throughout the State of New Jersey. In addition, Mr. Barbati also routinely represents individuals in various types of public pension appeals, real estate transactions, and general litigation matters. He is a frequent contributor to the New Jersey Public Safety Officers Law Blog, a free legal publication designed to keep New Jersey public safety officers up-to-date and informed about legal issues pertinent to their profession. During his years of practice, Mr. Barbati has established a reputation for achieving favorable results for his clients in a cost-efficient manner.

Mr. Barbati has also handled numerous novel legal issues while representing New Jersey Public Safety Officers. Most notably, he served as lead counsel for the Appellants in the published case In re Rodriguez, 423 N.J. Super. 440 (App. Div. 2011). In that case, Mr. Barbati successfully argued on behalf of the Appellants, thereby overturning the Attorney General’s denial of counsel to two prison guards in a civil rights suit arising from an inmate assault.  In the process, the Court clarified the standard to be utilized by the Attorney General in assessing whether a public employee is entitled to legal representation and mandated that reliance must be placed on up-to-date information.

Prior to becoming a practicing attorney, Mr. Barbati served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Linda R. Feinberg, Assignment Judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Mercer Vicinage. During his clerkship Mr. Barbati handled numerous complex and novel substantive and procedural issues arising from complaints in lieu of prerogative writs, orders to show cause, and motion practice. These include appeals from decisions by planning and zoning boards and local government bodies, bidding challenges under the Local Public Contract Law, Open Public Records Act requests, the taking of private property under the eminent domain statute, and election law disputes. In addition, Mr. Barbati, as a certified mediator, mediated many small claims disputes in the Special Civil Part.

Mr. Barbati received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history, magna cum laude, from Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. Upon graduating, Mr. Barbati attended Widener University School of Law in Wilmington, Delaware. In 2007, he received his juris doctorate, magna cum laude, graduating in the top five percent of his class. During law school, Mr. Barbati interned for the Honorable Joseph E. Irenas, Senior United States District Court Judge for the District of New Jersey in Camden, New Jersey, assisting on various constitutional, employment, and Third Circuit Court of Appeals litigation, including numerous civil rights, social security, and immigration cases.