Unions, town open talks; pacts covering 250 workers set to expire in December

By: Paul Koepp
   The township began negotiating new contracts this week with five of the six unions representing township employees.
   The unions include about 250 of the township’s 413 employees, according to township spokesman Ron Schmalz. They are the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association Local 166, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 51, the Firemen’s Mutual Benevolent Association Local 90, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 2242, and the South Brunswick Public Works Employees Association.
   The contracts for all five of the unions went into effect Jan. 1, 2004 and are set to expire on Dec. 31. Each of the current contracts guarantees a general wage increase of 3.5 percent in January of each of the past four years.
   Salary increases account for 34 percent of the $4.13 million spending hike in the proposed 2007 township budget, or about $1.40 million, according to township Finance Officer Joe Monzo.
   Township Manager Matt Watkins, who represents the township in the negotiations, said at the June 5 Township Council meeting that he expected the talks to go smoothly.
   "I believe we will have good relations and good negotiations," he said.
   If the township fails to reach an agreement with any of the unions by the end of the year, that contract could be settled by an arbitrator.
   Under the PBA contract, 2007 salaries range from $43,049 to $79,218 for officers hired before Sept. 1, 2003, and from $34,745 to $79,218 for officers hired after that. In addition, first-class patrol officers received a $2,000 base pay increase this year.
   Under the FOP contract, which covers higher-ranking police officers, 2007 salaries range from $88,795 for corporals to $114,187 for captains.
   The FMBA contract covers fire marshals and dispatchers. It called for 2007 salaries for dispatchers ranging from $32,137 to $55,781. The salaries for fire marshals were not listed on the state Public Employment Relations Commission Web site.
   According to the current PWEA contract, 2007 hourly wages range from $16.90 for entry-level laborers to $35.58 for senior section foremen.