Employees in New Jersey’s largest state-worker union overwhelmingly ratified a revised contract agreement on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 that defers a raise and trades furloughs this year for future vacation days. With a little over 13,000 votes cast online or by phone by the deadline, the margin was 69 percent to 31 percent according to
Contract Negotiations
CWA Tentatively Agrees to Wage Freeze and Furloughs
By Donald C. Barbati on
Posted in Contract Negotiations
On June 3, 2009, the State of New Jersey’s largest public employee union indicated it would accept a wage freeze and unpaid furlough days to help reduce spending under a tentative deal according to Governor Jon Corzine.
Corzine called the agreement with the Communication Workers of America “very important for our budget…
Securing A Raise In Wages And Benefits During An Economic Recession
By Frank M. Crivelli on
Posted in Contract Negotiations
A very interesting article and interview most recently appeared in the New York Times regarding police salaries, pay raises, furloughs, and lay offs in the Township of East Brunswick. The article has relevance to the entire state of the economy in New Jersey. We wanted to share this article with you as it is pertinent to…
Petitions for Interest Arbitration are Increasing as Municipalities Tighten Their Belts
By Frank M. Crivelli on
Posted in Contract Negotiations
Jerry DeMarco, a reporter with the website www.examiner.com has reported that significantly more police unions around the state are turning towards interest arbitration as a means to settle their contract due to the hard line stance that many municipalities and county governments have taken during negotiations.
DeMarco reported that the average salary increase for…
Ocean City Agrees To Lower Starting Salaries for New Police Officers
By Frank M. Crivelli on
Posted in Contract Negotiations
On October 30, 2008, The Press of Atlantic City reported that new Ocean City, New Jersey Police Officers will make approximately $5,000 less under the contract that was recently approved by the PBA and city council. The contract with the Policemen’s Benevolent Association Local 61 also reflected a move to the state health-insurance system from the …
The State Health Benefits Program and Its Affect on Your Employment
By Frank M. Crivelli on
Posted in Contract Negotiations
Constitutionality of Paid Convention Leave Statutes Challenged
By Frank M. Crivelli on
Posted in Contract Interpretation, Contract Negotiations
On September 11, 2008, the New Jersey Law Enforcement Supervisors Association (“NJLESA”) and New Jersey Law Enforcement Commanding Officers Association (“NJLECOA”), jointly filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Mercer County against the State of New Jersey challenging the viability of N.J.S.A. 11A:6-10 and N.J.A.C. 4A:6-1.13, the provisions of New…
“45 Days” to Discipline as Defined Under N.J.S.A. 40A:14-147 Only Applies to Internal Rules and Regulations
By Frank M. Crivelli on
Posted in Contract Negotiations, Public Employee Discipline
In the world of Public Employee Discipline as it pertains to New Jersey municipal police officers, we often turn to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-147, or more commonly referred to as the “45 day rule", in ensuring that municipalities act within a reasonable time frame in bringing disciplinary charges against public safety officers. The New Jersey Attorney General’s Guidelines…
Essential Personnel Are Not Entitled to Compensatory Time Off During State Of Emergency
By Frank M. Crivelli on
Posted in Contract Negotiations
In a non-published opinion, the Appellate Division for the Superior Court of New Jersey ruled that the Public Employment Relations Commission’s (PERC) decision to restrain binding arbitration of a grievance filed by PBA Local 105 for the payment of compensatory time off for work performed by essential employees during the 2006 governmental shutdown was lawful. In…