As reported by NJSpotlight.com, a proposal to move some state and local employees to a new 401(k)-like pension system is gaining support because it has the potential to save billions of dollars. However, long before anything is adopted, it is likely to draw strenuous pushback from the public workers’ labor unions. The recommendation is to… Continue Reading
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Governor Christie’s Next Fight Is With State Workers As Contracts Come Up For Renewal
By Donald Barbati on Posted in Contract NegotiationsAs reported by nj.com, with contracts for 49,000 state workers due to expire this June, Governor Chris Christie has publicly proclaimed he wants no pay raises and expects state workers to fork over much more for health and pension benefits. Union leaders say they have had no meetings with the governor’s office and worry… Continue Reading
CWA Ratifies Revised Contract
By Donald Barbati on Posted in Contract NegotiationsEmployees 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 the… Continue Reading
CWA Tentatively Agrees to Wage Freeze and Furloughs
By Donald Barbati on Posted in Contract NegotiationsOn 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 to make… Continue Reading
New York Governor Vetoes Routine Pension Measure
By Donald Barbati on Posted in Pay and OvertimeNew York Governor David Patterson dropped a bombshell on two powerful unions yesterday when he unexpectedly vetoed a routine measure that for nearly thirty (30) years had allowed New York city cops and firefighters to retire with generous pensions. “These are not routine times,” Paterson said in vetoing the “temporary” measure that, since 1981, had… Continue Reading
PERC Denies Applications for Interim Relief Regarding Furloughs
By Donald Barbati on Posted in Public Employment Labor LawOn May 16, 2009, the Public Employment Relations Commission (“PERC”) issued a decision in response to certain unfair practice charges and requests for interim relief filed against the State of New Jersey regarding the imposition of unpaid, “furlough” days. By way of background, on April 14, 2009, the Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO (“CWA”),… Continue Reading
Public Employees and Forfeiture of Pension Benefits
By Donald Barbati on Posted in Pay and OvertimeOn May 14, 2009, the Appellate Division decided Harry G. Parkin v. Board of Trustees, Public Employees Retirement System, Docket No.: A-2466-07T1. In the case, Harry Parkin appealed from the final agency decision of the Board of Trustees of the Public Employee Retirement System (“Board”) resulting in the partial forfeiture of his service and salary credits.… Continue Reading
New Article Addresses “Public Pension Bomb” in New Jersey
By Donald Barbati on Posted in Pay and OvertimeOn May 12, 2009, Kate Benner published an article entitled “The Public Pension Bomb” in Fortune Magazine. The article addresses how states all across the country, for many years, have been starving their retirement plans. More importantly, however, the article focuses upon how the crisis is playing out in New Jersey, where the bill is coming… Continue Reading
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