By Andrew Martins
Staff Writer
JACKSON – A state commission has granted a group of municipal workers in Jackson the approvals needed to form a new collective bargaining unit for more than a dozen supervisory employees.
Members of the new union, the Jackson Township Municipal Supervisors, petitioned the state Public Employee Relations Commission (PERC) in August 2014 for permission to establish the bargaining unit.
“We are pleased with the outcome from PERC and we are happy to be recognized by the state,” said Daniel Burke, who is the director of community development/engineer and a member of the Jackson Township Municipal Supervisors.
The final determination from PERC Deputy Director of Representation Deirdre Hartman, dated Dec. 7, 2015, states that “all regularly employed supervisory employees of the township, including, but not limited to, the director of community development, director of public works, supervisor of public works, tax assessor, tax collector, zoning officer, construction code official, electrical subcode official, building subcode official, plumbing subcode official, fire protection subcode official, assistant recreation supervisor, recreation program administrator and principal accountant” were eligible to join the new union.
During the petition process, other municipal employees were included as potential members of the union, but certain positions were contested by the township out of concern for potential conflicts of interest or issues of confidentiality.
To address those concerns, Hartman said the township’s “managerial executives, confidential employees and non-supervisory employees” were exempt from Jackson Township Municipal Supervisors membership.
“The township has no issue with the new union, which is comprised of a small number of supervisory positions,” Business Administrator Helene Schlegel said. “Our only challenge was the inclusion of certain titles.”
The final ruling specifically listed the chief financial officer, township clerk, deputy township clerk, municipal court judge, business administrator, senior computer service technician, assistant municipal treasurer and personnel officer as exempted positions.
Jackson currently employs about 250 individuals. Many employees are represented by the Transport Workers Union and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
Burke said the new union is still in its early stages.
“We are in the process of organizing and then we will seek negotiations,” he said. “We hope for positive relations with the township moving forward.”