In an article “Police Granted 3.9% Raise From Arbitrator” published in this newpaper’s Oct. 7 edition, the Jackson PBA 768’s successful interest arbitration award was detailed. The article also touched on the overwhelming no confidence vote taken by the members of Jackson PBA 168 against Director Sam DePasquale and Operations Capt. Christoper Dunton.
While Jackson PBA 168 achieved its objective for a fair contract, this lengthy and costly process — funded by the residents of Jackson — could have easily been avioded. The PBA negotiated over 20 times with the township and its labor attorneys. The township’s decision to change attorneys in mid-stream served only to protract the negotiations.
Despite many attempts on the union’s part to reach a resolution, nearly two years went by with no movement from the township toward a compromise. At the final negotiation session, prior to mediation and interest arbitration, the union had made an offer of 3.9 percent, but the township would not accept this offer unless we gave up shift bidding.
In fact, all previous offers made by the union were turned down because the township would not concede to shift bidding. If, as Director DePasquale says, this is not a “big change in the way things work” then why was shift bidding such a major sticking point for the township?
According to budget records, the town budgeted 4 percent for 2003 and 4 percent for 2004 for the police department. It begs the question, if 4 percent was budgeted, why was a realistic offer of 3.9 percent declined over shift bidding, which has no monetary impact on the township budget?
Did taxpayers save any money when two lawyer fees plus interest abitration fees are considered, when such a small margin was the difference between the two parties? It should be noted that the township filed for arbitration with the state, not the union. It is unusual for an employer to file for arbitration, considering the direct cost to the taxpayers of Jackson. And in the end, the PERC arbitrator awarded the union what we had offered at the last negotiation session; clearly we were not being unreasonable.
Director DePasquale should be chided for his comments about our pay scale, “the bottom line is that they’re not getting paid too bad.” What the director fails to disclose is that he is not getting paid too badly either. According to records for 2004, Director De-Pasquale is being paid $137,000 a year plus a take home vehicle.
As for the vote of no confidence, Director DePasquale stated he “does not understand the union’s dissatisfaction.” This statement just underscores Director DePasquale’s detachment from the people that work for him. If the director feels that the vote of no confidence was taken by PBA 168 members becasue of the long overdue contract renewal, he is sadly mistaken.
The contract had no bearing on the vote of no confidence. The issues leading the union members to an overwhelming vote of no confidence were presented to Committeeman Michael Brod-erick and Mayor Sean Giblin in private meetings. The union had hoped that these meetings would, in part, lead to a new level of communication and understanding between the union and the Township Committee. This sadly has not been the case. Only two meetings were attended by committee representatives and no real progress was made.
The union has tried in good faith to bring our concerns regarding the lack of effective leadership for the police department to the attention of the Township Committee. There has been some attempt by the current administration to placate the union with minor changes regarding secondary issues, however, the core issues regarding public and officer safety have not been addressed at any level.
Even though the committee has appropriated funds for a new radio system, this only comes after the radio system reached a critical state of disrepair and ineffectiveness. The radio system is still one to two years away. We are disappointed and frustrated that the committee doesn’t seem to be taking these issues seriously. The Jackson PBA 168 members believe public safety is at jeopardy, as well as the officers who serve that public. The current administration is not planning far enough in the future to address these major issues. As the population explodes, we will only be left at a more dangerous level of unpreparedness. It is time for a change in policy making.
Christopher Parise
President Jackson PBA 168
Jackson