Mangano, CSEA closer to concessions deal

Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and the Civil Service Employees Association are nearing a deal on a concessions package, contingent on the approval of a state monitoring board, that would unfreeze union wages in 2013.

Attorneys for the county and the union are reviewing the agreement, which could be submitted to CSEA members this week.

The negotiations come one day after the county legislature authorized the layoffs of roughly 300 CSEA members. The layoffs could be mitigated through a separation package approved by the legislature that would pay $1,000 per year of service to CSEA members who voluntarily leave their jobs.

CSEA president Jerry Laricchiuta said the concessions package is dependent on the Nassau Interim Finance Authority unfreezing their wages.

"Anything that we do has to include getting our members unfrozen," Laricchiuta said.

Mangano said on Monday that the county was "very close" to a deal on "structural savings" with the union.

NIFA froze the wages of all county workers earlier this year. Mangano and NIFA have previously called for the freeze, which has been in place through 2011, to be extended through the end of the union contracts in 2015.

NIFA member Chris Wright said a deal has not been presented to the board. "The two parties here are the county and the unions," Wright said. "And they need to come to an agreement to find the savings that meet NIFA's requirements."

NIFA and Mangano have asked the county's five labor unions to find a combined $150 million in total savings by Feb. 1, 2012. CSEA's responsibility was roughly $60 million.

The layoffs or retirements would save the county $54 million annually while the concessions would cover another $6 million to $8 million, Laricchiuta said. Union members must approve any changes to their collective bargaining agreement.

Letters also went out Tuesday to CSEA members notifying them of the voluntary separation package.

Unlike past agreements, the separation package is open to all CSEA members, no matter how long they have been with the county. The union is hoping that 150 to 200 members take the deal, limiting the number of layoffs that would be needed.

Employees must leave their jobs by Dec. 29 to take advantage of the incentive. Mangano can also extend the separation package for another 90 days.

The legislature approved $17 million in bonds for the incentive while an additional $3 million is available from a previous round of layoffs.

A NIFA source said the board will likely approve the borrowing. The item, however, is not on the agenda for NIFA's next meeting Thursday.

The layoffs, meanwhile, are expected to go forward next week. Some employees could get rehired, officials said, if the separation package is extended through next year.