Westchester union rejects recommendation to settle contract

The union representing more than 3,000 Westchester County employees is rejecting a fact finder's recommendation to settle a long-expired contract that the union president said would result in a pay cut for at least some workers.

CSEA Unit 9200, whose contract expired Dec. 31, 2011, said the fact finder's report "does not meet the concerns, needs and worries of 3,000 members who are Westchester County employees, taxpayers and voters."

Under New York state labor law, fact finders make recommendations to try to break an impasse in contract negotiations. Their recommendations aren't binding. The administration of County Executive Rob Astorino had been prepared to accept the fact finder's recommendations.

Astorino, in a statement, said the recommendations were fair, though neither side got what it wanted. The recommendations included a wage freeze for 2012 and 2013, 2 percent increases for 2014 and 2015 and health contributions between 7.5 and 10 percent of premiums depending on salary level. New employees would pay 20 percent of premiums. The recommendations also included payments of $100 to each employee in 2012 and $150 in 2013.

CSEA President Kwabena Manu said the union is open to having members pay part of their health costs but the recommendations would have meant that some members would have lost money, particularly lower-paid workers.

"To take a salary cut, it's not realistic for them," he said.

CSEA members include clerical and support personnel, case workers in the Social Services Department, parks workers and others.

In contracts settled with seven unions since Astorino took office, county employees have agreed to contribute to health insurance costs for the first time. The CSEA is the last union left with an expired contract.

With its rejection of the fact finder's report, the union is recommending that the dispute be kicked over to the county Board of Legislators. State labor law provides for the board to set a salary level for one year of the contract, in this case 2012, and the two sides would continue negotiations on the remaining years, Manu said.

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