News
RB Council Plan To Cut Longevity Pay On Hold
By John Burton
RED BANK - It's back to the drawing board for the Borough Council's proposal to eliminate longevity pay for non-union municipal employees, after elected officials got an earful from some of those employees who would feel the pinch.
The borough council at Monday's meeting voted unanimously to table an ordinance that, had it been enacted, would have frozen longevity pay to current levels for existing non-union employees and eliminated the perk for any new hires.
But a number of those employees filled the council chambers, and were joined by some union members voicing similar complaints, to voice their displeasure about the plan.
Mayor Pasquale Menna and other officials have been voicing their own concerns about the state of the borough's finances, and have been seeking means to trim costs to alleviate the burden on taxpayers.
The council adopted a number of steps to curtail costs, officials have said, such as going to a four-day work week for the municipal complex, as well as eliminating some positions, among others.
But for the employees this appeared to hit home.
Valerie Ferber, human resources manager, said she was due to receive $61 because of the longevity provision. "My $61 means nothing," she told the council. "All we're asking is that you hold off until you negotiate with the unions. We're not asking for anything more."
This ordinance affects approximately 16 employees, administrative positions within the municipal complex and does not add up to a lot of money, she said. But, Ferber continued, it means a lot to the employees, and they should be treated the same as their union counterparts.
John Gurzo, the borough's interim director for Senior Services and heads up its Neighborhood Preservation program, told the mayor and council, department heads should have been informed and employees should have been granted the courtesy of knowing this was in the works.
Union employees and their union official, who would have not been affected by this action, took the opportunity to vent.
George Schroeder, a five-year employee for the borough's Department of Public Works (DPW), said he has to work an additional job to make ends meet as it is. "I mean, how am I suppose to survive?" he asked.
"Let's work it out, let's try to get together," Schroeder told the council.
Menna had said previously this would be the first step toward enacting similar provisions for union employees when their collective bargaining agreements come up again.
Kevin Tauro, representative for Communication Workers of America 1034, the union for about 77 of borough employees, other than police, said his members should get the same consideration as police union members.
DPW workers make less than those in other neighboring communities, he said. "Basically, what we're asking the mayor and council here is to be fair," he said.
The local Police Benevolent Association late last year reached an agreement with borough officials and won a three percent a year raise for its two-year contract. "Give us the same respect as the other group," Tauro said, referring to police.
"We appreciate what you do," said Councilwoman Kathy Horgan, "but we're between a rock and hard place."
"We're looking to resolve some serious issues facing our town," Councilman Edward Zipprich said.
The council moved to table the ordinance, with plans to redraft it to exclude only new hires from the pay provision. As for the remainder of employees, that will continue to be discussed, Menna said.
Non-union employees are entitled to the longevity pay, in five-year increments, based upon their length of service.
