Less than five months after the Niskayuna police union contract expired the town has settled on an agreement that is to save the town money when compared to the previous contract.
The Niskayuna Town Board on Thursday, May 17, unanimously approved a new collective bargaining agreement with the Niskayuna Police Benevolent Association to cover a period from Jan. 1, 2012, to Dec. 31, 2013. PBA President Michael Stevens said union members unanimously approved of the contract.
Union members would receive a 1.5 percent salary increase this year and another 1.5 percent increase the following year. The union’s previous four-year contract held a 3.75 percent salary increase each year from 2009 to 2011, according to Town Attorney Matt Miller.
“In these economic times big raises are not something that can happen and we can understand that,” Stevens said.
Town Supervisor Landry thanked PBA members for approving the agreement and said it was fair for the town and union members.
“This was done in an incredibly fast time and it worked out well for all of us,” Landry said.
Councilwoman Liz Orzel Kapser also applauded the agreement for being reached in a timely manner.
“This came through quickly and with no tears I hope and I’m glad this finished,” said Kasper, who chair of town Public Safety Committee.
Stevens said the town was responsive to the union’s concerns, which made the process move smoothly.
“This is actually the third contract I have worked on and this is the first one I have been a part of that we were able to get accomplished without a mediator,” Stevens said.
Landry said salary increase for PBA members have historically been “a lot higher,” but town officials explained to the union what fiscal difficulties it’s facing under the state mandated tax cap.
“We worked very well with the PBA to lay out what economic parameters we are working under,” he said. “This was a concession that they were willing to work with us on and they recognized the tax cap and what the tax cap is doing to municipalities.”
Another concession included any officers hired after Jan. 1, 2013, to pay 20 percent of any dental insurance premium. The town previously had fully covered dental insurance.
Stevens said the union understands health care costs are rising and the dental insurance concession places it line with health insurance, which he said members also pay 20 percent of the insurance premium.
Councilwoman Julie McDonnell thanked the PBA for working with the town to be “frugal” and thought the contract was beneficial for both parties.
The town compromised with the union to increase the minimum paid recall time, or calling in an employee during off hours, from two-and-a-half hours to three hours.
Landry said recall time compensation mostly applies to detectives and not police officers. He said the change wouldn’t have a “major impact” on expenses.
“We don’t see this happening much with the regular patrol people,” he said. “The recall normally happens when something unexpected happens — when there is a burglary or something that requires a detective to come on.”
He said the town can somewhat control recall time, too, such as waiting for a detective’s shift to start if it is only an hour away and having officers secure the crime scene. There is only one shift with no detective on duty, according to Landry.
Also, the new contract addresses this concern by providing new hours for detectives, Landry said.
Detectives previously worked the same shift schedule as police officers, but now detectives will work Monday through Friday. Landry said the change was made to have detectives working when business and other official offices, such as the District Attorney’s office, are open.
“It is more applicable of what their duties require them to do,” he said. “There are times where they are working on the weekend and they could be more productive if they are working during the week.”
The town also agreed to reimburse any additional cost incurred by a union member for changes to insurance co-pays or deductibles from what existed at the start of 2009 until Dec. 29, 2013. There were changes in the town’s health insurance plans at the start of this year, according to Landry.
Stevens said having the two reimburse the additional cost was the main objective for the union to receive during negotiations.
The contract also reduces the minimum notice for compensatory time usage from 24 hours to four hours.
Landry said reimbursing for insurance payments would have a “minimal cost” for the town, but didn’t have an estimated cost.
“They found it more convenient to shorten the time frame,” Landry said. “We still reserve the right to say ‘no’ if it does create an overtime situation for someone else.”