Hempstead votes to approve 5-year contract with union

The Hempstead Town Board voted to approve a contract with its union, Civil Service Employees Association Local 880.

The new five-year contract changes employees’ cost-of-living adjustments, health insurance payments and workers’ compensation reporting requirements.

It was ratified by union members in a 840-464 vote, according to the union’s website. The town board approved the contract in a 6-0 vote as part of its administrative calendar. Councilwoman Erin King Sweeney was absent.

In 2017 and 2018, employees do not receive a cost-of-living adjustment, documents show. Instead, they receive a one-time, 1.5 percent payment each year that is not counted as part of their base salaries. In 2019, 2020 and 2021, the employees get cost-of-living adjustments of 1.75 percent, 1.75 percent and 2 percent that do affect their base salaries.

“This innovative approach to employee compensation alone would save the town 3 percent in avoided salary cost increases for affected employees over the five-year term of the contract,” according to a town news release.

The new contract also requires employees who opt for health insurance policies other than the least-expensive plan to pay the difference between the two, which officials said means a savings of $109,000 in the first year for the town.

The contract also includes more stringent reporting requirements for workers’ compensation cases, which could lead to savings up to $2 million annually, the news release said.
Employees on workers’ compensation also must be able to be contacted at home during working hours and provide proof of doctors’ appointments, said town spokesman Michael Deery.

The town kept the ability to have layoffs, said Town Comptroller Kevin Conroy.
Union representatives could not be reached for comment.