Post by admin on Sept 4, 2008 15:27:48 GMT -5
www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080904/NEWS01/809040466/1004
FREEHOLD — The Borough Council approved a new four-year contract with the local police officers' union Tuesday, more than a year after the last agreement expired.
The new agreement will raise officers' salaries 4 percent annually until the contract expires on Dec. 31, 2010.
That comes to cost-of-living increases totaling 17 percent over the life of the contract, plus longevity pay.
"It took a long time . . . (but) we are pleased with the outcome," said PBA Local 159 president Rich Ciampa.
Negotiations between the borough and the PBA resulted in several changes to the police officers' old contract, including new contribution requirements for health insurance and longevity payment increases, according to a letter written by Borough Attorney Kerry Higgins.
All police officers who choose medical coverage — including prescriptions — must now contribute 5 percent of the borough's total cost for the coverage, according to Borough Administrator Joseph Bellina.
Employee contributions will be capped at $1,500 this year, $1,600 next year and $1,700 in 2010, according to the letter from Higgins.
Under the old contract, employees without dependents did not pay for medical coverage. Employees paid a flat fee for coverage received by their dependents, Bellina said.
Officers' annual salary increases remained unchanged from the rate provided in the previous contract, Ciampa said. The increase is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2007.
In 2006, base salaries for officers ranged from $31,557 to $91,616 for a sergeant, according to the old contract.
Longevity payments — received for hitting certain yearly employment milestones — will be increased by $100 for each step, which are broken down by the number of years of employment, the year the payment is received and when an officer was hired, according to the old contract.
Sergeants will also receive an extra bonus, in addition to their general longevity payment, to account for their rank, according to Ciampa. This benefit was added because salaries for some patrol officers are now comparable to a sergeant's salary, even though sergeants supervise patrol officers, Bellina said.
"We established something to reward a sergeant's stripes," he said.
Sergeants will be rewarded with an extra $800 for completing 10 years of service, $900 for 15 years and $1,000 for 20 years, according to the letter.
Other changes included in the agreement are:
During employees' 21st year and through to retirement, employees can opt to use a maximum of six sick days as vacation days, as long as they have the available sick time. This perk was added because the number of vacation days does not increase after employees reach their 21st year, Ciampa said.
Employees can take two days of paid leave for the death of a step-sibling.
Two new pay ranges were added for newly hired officers — patrolman sixth class and patrolman seventh class.
Kim Predham: (732) 308-7752 or kpredham@app.com
FREEHOLD — The Borough Council approved a new four-year contract with the local police officers' union Tuesday, more than a year after the last agreement expired.
The new agreement will raise officers' salaries 4 percent annually until the contract expires on Dec. 31, 2010.
That comes to cost-of-living increases totaling 17 percent over the life of the contract, plus longevity pay.
"It took a long time . . . (but) we are pleased with the outcome," said PBA Local 159 president Rich Ciampa.
Negotiations between the borough and the PBA resulted in several changes to the police officers' old contract, including new contribution requirements for health insurance and longevity payment increases, according to a letter written by Borough Attorney Kerry Higgins.
All police officers who choose medical coverage — including prescriptions — must now contribute 5 percent of the borough's total cost for the coverage, according to Borough Administrator Joseph Bellina.
Employee contributions will be capped at $1,500 this year, $1,600 next year and $1,700 in 2010, according to the letter from Higgins.
Under the old contract, employees without dependents did not pay for medical coverage. Employees paid a flat fee for coverage received by their dependents, Bellina said.
Officers' annual salary increases remained unchanged from the rate provided in the previous contract, Ciampa said. The increase is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2007.
In 2006, base salaries for officers ranged from $31,557 to $91,616 for a sergeant, according to the old contract.
Longevity payments — received for hitting certain yearly employment milestones — will be increased by $100 for each step, which are broken down by the number of years of employment, the year the payment is received and when an officer was hired, according to the old contract.
Sergeants will also receive an extra bonus, in addition to their general longevity payment, to account for their rank, according to Ciampa. This benefit was added because salaries for some patrol officers are now comparable to a sergeant's salary, even though sergeants supervise patrol officers, Bellina said.
"We established something to reward a sergeant's stripes," he said.
Sergeants will be rewarded with an extra $800 for completing 10 years of service, $900 for 15 years and $1,000 for 20 years, according to the letter.
Other changes included in the agreement are:
During employees' 21st year and through to retirement, employees can opt to use a maximum of six sick days as vacation days, as long as they have the available sick time. This perk was added because the number of vacation days does not increase after employees reach their 21st year, Ciampa said.
Employees can take two days of paid leave for the death of a step-sibling.
Two new pay ranges were added for newly hired officers — patrolman sixth class and patrolman seventh class.
Kim Predham: (732) 308-7752 or kpredham@app.com