Council pushes off vote on new union contract

Diem: More time needed to reach a fair agreement

BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer

EAST BRUNSWICK — Despite a strong turnout from members of the municipal employees union, the Township Council opted not to vote on a new contract for them last week.

Members from United Services Workers Union Local 1996 packed the council chambers during the Oct. 6 meeting, trying to persuade the governing body to accept the new three-year deal on the table. But despite meeting for about two hours in closed session, the council did not vote on the proposal, and council President Catherine Diem said afterward that she did not know when the vote would take place.

“We still need to work through more issues,” Diem told the Sentinel. “We need to balance the needs of the employees with those of the residents.”

The contract created a rift among council members, with Donald Klemp and Edward Luster urging a vote, and Diem and David Stahl saying more time and work was needed.

Edward Kahn, who said he is a business agent for the union, said it is a three-year deal with cost-of-living increases of 3.9 percent in each of the first two years, and 3.75 percent for the last year. Diem said those figures are not accurate, however.

According to Kahn, there is no increase in benefits, and union members would have to pay more for office co-pays and deductibles on health insurance. He said there would be no additional holidays or time off.

Diem said the council needs to hold more executive sessions on the contract before bringing it to a vote.

“The bottom line is that in today’s economic climate, we need to be sensitive to our employees and residents,” Diem said in a prepared statement.

Kahn said the increases are somewhat below what the cost of living has risen to. He said now is the time for the contract to be approved, because it would give township officials time to prepare next year’s budget accordingly.

The union represents all of East Brunswick’s white- and blue-collar employees, including both full- and part-time workers, Kahn said.

Mayor William Neary recommended the contract for approval after first making a proposal to the union, and then receiving a counterproposal, which he accepted, Kahn said.

The union’s current contract expires at the end of this year.

During the meeting, there was some give and take among council members, as Luster, who is a union member in his own job, said the council was stalling the contract more than it did any Golden Triangle discussion.

Klemp said Neary had asked that the contract be added to that night’s agenda, but that Diem refused. He said he wanted to make sure the people affected would know the council was addressing the issue.

Diem said she had no problem negotiating a “fair and equitable” deal with the union, but that the stock market fell nearly 800 points earlier that day, and residents expect the council to act in the best interests of the community.

“I am disgusted this has been turned into a political item,” she said

Diem also said Neary will not be affected by the financial impact of the new deal, but the new mayor and council will.

“Don’t let anyone tell you I am anti-union. Let’s make a fair contract for all parties,” Diem said.