Rank and File Cops Reach Contract Agreement

Cops get raises and increased benefit costs. Also, an update on the officers laid off from the force.

Following this week’s Township Committee vote on contracts for senior Maplewood Police Officers, the union for rank and file cops has this week struck an agreement with the town on a new contract. Under the agreement, the officers will receive a 16.5 percent pay raise over the next five years. Officers will pay $500 annually for health care, costs that previously were covered by the town. Members of the force will now receive a “senior differential,” where they receive a $1,000 raise after serving eight years on the force. Also, officers can now receive $100 to $750 stipends for education and military service and concessions concerning off-duty court appearances. Detective Kevin Kisch of PBA 44, which represents the majority of  Maplewood’…

• Photos (1)

Township, Police Union Reach Contract Agreement

Deal stops short of rehiring the three officers laid off last month.

Following a two-and-a-half year struggle, Maplewood Township and the police unions are finally nearing an end to contract negotiations, with a deal for senior officers already signed. A memorandum of agreement was approved by the Township on Tuesday night, providing Superior Officers Association (SOA) Local 44A with a five-year contract ending in 2011. The SOA represents the Maplewood Police Department’s officer corps, including sergeants, lieutenants and captains. Township Administrator Joseph Manning said that a matching agreement with the Policeman's Benevolent Association (PBA) Local 44—representing the rest of the approximately 60 Maplewood police personnel—would be signed soon, pending a vote by the union’s general membership that …

• Photos (1)

School Cafeteria Workers' Union Looks to Negotiate New Contract

The food company, Pomptonian, has announced its intention to withdraw recognition from SEIU Local 32BJ when the current contract expires in August.

Cafeteria workers employed in South Orange and Maplewood schools have been notified that their employer, Fairfield-based Pomptonian Food Service, intends to withdraw recognition from their union on Aug. 31 when their current contract expires, asserting that the majority of workers no longer support SEIU Local 32BJ. Pomptonian didn't respond to three calls seeking comment for this story, but in a letter posted on The Local last month, President Mark Vidovich said, "The Union members, without the involvement of management, presented Pomptonian with a petition signed by more than 50 percent of the members asking Pomptonian to no longer recognize the Union." But union officials say they've never been presented with a copy of the petition …

• Photos (1)

Tuesday's Township Committee Meeting Canceled

The special meeting called for contract negotiations has been canceled.

As we predicted on Friday, the special meeting of the Township Committee scheduled for tomorrow has been canceled. The meeting, which was called in order to negotiate the township's police contract, was rendered moot by last week's police union vote to reject a proposed deal. The deal would have required individual officers to assume a greater share of benefits costs in order to retain three police jobs. The announcement of the meeting's cancelation was put on the Township's Web site this morning.

PBA Votes no on Township Deal

The union is working to find jobs for officers in other departments.

Detective Kevin Kisch, president of Maplewood's chapter of the Policeman's Benevolent Association said the police union has voted against a deal to save the jobs of the three officers slated to be laid off at the end of the month. Kisch said the Township had made an offer similar to the one accepted by the firefighters earlier this year. Under the term of the deal, officers would have had to pay an increased share of benefits to offset the cost of keeping the three policemen on the force. "We voted not to accept the Township's offer," Kisch said. He would not comment on whether the vote was close other than to say it was a majority decision. He said that the three officers would definitely be off the force at the end of the month, and said…

• Photos (1)