Erie County correction officers reject contract offer www.privateofficer.com
Members of Teamsters Local 264 turned down a pact that would have covered seven years that the jail guards have worked without a contract and five future years.
County Executive Chris Collins called it “a fair contract negotiated in good faith” that took into account “the strangling cost of free health care.” Collins stressed that he had worked out an agreement with the leadership of the union.
The Teamsters represent about 500 Erie County corrections officers at the Alden jail and the Erie County Holding Center. Union officials were unavailable to comment Tuesday night. No final tally on the vote was available.
Collins said he was “disappointed that the rank-and-file Teamsters employees have decided to vote down a fair contract negotiated in good faith that recognizes the economic reality we are living with today.”
County officials said the rejected pact called for the elimination of 12 paid holidays, eliminated summer hours and ended retiree health care for new hires. It also required a 25 percent contribution toward health insurance for new hires and a 25 percent contribution toward health insurance cost increases for current employees. And it would eliminate one personal day a year, leaving them with three, and would eliminate the uniform allowance beginning in 2016.
In exchange, the contract called for salary increases over the next five years — 3 percent for 2012-14 and 2 percent in 2015 and 2016. Union members also would receive a lump sum payment for the seven years of the expired contract based on 10 percent of their wages in 2011—which would amount to $7,000 for the average employee — and $1,500 annually in holiday pay
Source:buffnews.com
