Nassau-CSEA deal could avert layoffs

Nassau County is close to an agreement with the Civil Service Employees Association that could potentially avert hundreds of layoffs, according to County Executive Edward Mangano.

The county legislature is scheduled to vote Monday on a bill authorizing 435 layoffs, 217 demotions and the elimination of funding for 183 vacant jobs.

But on Wednesday evening, Mangano submitted a bill asking the legislature to approve $54 million in separation payments for CSEA members. Assuming a deal with CSEA leadership is reached in the coming days, those funds -- all from new borrowing -- would cover payments to county workers who take a voluntary early retirement package, Mangano said.

"We are within range of a deal," Mangano said, noting that negotiations will continue through the weekend. He described his legislation as a "placeholder" that anticipates an agreement with the union.

The legislature is still expected to vote on the layoff package, which would go into effect Dec. 29, but Mangano can rescind the dismissals and demotions by executive order

CSEA president Jerry Laricchiuta confirmed that "we are close to a deal to save jobs."

The agreement would pay employees $1,000 per year of service if they leave by the end of the year. But Laricchiuta said, "there is not enough time to do this effectively. In the end, I am not sure this will work."

Laricchiuta said there were other elements to the deal with the county, but declined to elaborate.

The $54 million in borrowing would require a two-thirds vote of the legislature, including at least two Democrats. But incoming Democratic leader Legis. Kevan Abrahams (D-Freeport) said his caucus will not approve any additional borrowing -- including the voluntary separation package -- until it receives a commitment for an independent, nonpartisan redistricting process.

Both Mangano and Laricchiuta said the separation package should not be tied to redistricting.

The borrowing would also require the approval of the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, a state monitoring board with control of the county's finances. NIFA chairman Ron Stack was unavailable for comment.

Mangano has asked the county's five unions for $75 million in concessions by the end of this year and another $75 million in givebacks by Feb. 1. The agreement under negotiation with the CSEA, Mangano said, would eliminate the need for additional personnel actions against the union's members next year.

The layoffs primarily target CSEA members, although exact figures are still being tallied by the independent Office of Legislative Budget Review. Some nonunion employees are also expected to be laid off.

Deals have not been reached with the county's four law enforcement unions, whose members would face demotions, but not layoffs, under Mangano's proposal.