AGENCY LAW ENFORCEMENT UNIT OF COUNCIL 82 FINALLY GETS A CONTRACT; WAITED SIX YEARS

NYS Gov. Andrew Cuomo

Albany, N.Y.-- Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today via his website that an agreement was reached with the Agency Law Enforcement Services unit of Council 82, the labor union representing some of the state's law enforcement officers.

The union represents 1,160 employees, including SUNY police, New York State Park Police, Department of Environmental Conservation officers and forest rangers.

As part of the deal, employees won't receive pay increases for this fiscal year   (2011-12) and the next two fiscal years (2012-13 and 2013-14). The agreement also eliminates performance advances, or "step increases," according to a press release from the governor's office.

Employees' health insurance premium contributions would also rise from 10 to 20 percent for individuals, and from 25 to 35 percent for family plans.

You can read the Governor's spin about the agreement here.

CSEA President Danny Donohue told reporters, "The Cuomo administration's agreement with Council 82 represents a settlement with a very small number of specific state law enforcement officers who haven't had a contract for six years."

He added, "CSEA will continue to negotiate in good faith at the bargaining table on an agreement that will fairly address the state's fiscal situation, while respecting the needs of the 66,000 CSEA members who deliver a wide range of essential services to the people of New York every day."

Here is a statement from Public Employees Federation President Ken Brynien:  "The New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) is very familiar with the tentative contract agreement announced today between Council 82 and the state of New York. The state offered PEF a similar proposal.

PEF has not accepted the state's initial offer because it would impose an unfair burden including long-term hardships on our members and their families. The state's proposal would require an average PEF member to give up as much as $10,000 in salary and benefits every year of the contract. Additionally, the state made it clear that accepting these concessions would not ensure PEF members would not be laid off anyway.

PEF has a counter proposal on the table that would achieve the savings the state needs for this fiscal year. We are willing to accept short-term hardships for what may very well be a short-term fiscal crisis.

The Council 82 agreement in no way sets the groundwork for our continuing negotiations. It should be noted that the bargaining unit that agreed with the governor represents less than 1 percent of the state work force and is a very specialized unit that has been working without a contract since 2005."