Laura Curran withdraws Nassau PBA contract

A lawyer for Nassau County's financial control board on Tuesday wrote the Nassau Police Benevolent Association formally withdrawing a tentative 8½-year-labor contract that union members rejected in December.

County and PBA leaders announced a tentative deal in early December. But PBA members rejected the contract by a margin of 143 votes on Dec. 23, PBA President James McDermott has said.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, a Democrat, said Tuesday the letter was a "procedural step" taken in the hope of renewing collective bargaining talks. The most recent PBA contract expired on the final day of 2017, just before the start of Curran's first term.

"That’s just procedural," Curran said of the letter in an interview Tuesday. "We’re ready to resume bargaining," adding: "The sooner, the better."

In his letter to McDermott, Nassau Interim Finance Authority attorney Gary Dellaverson said the labor agreement was being withdrawn and asked to resume negotiations. NIFA, which controls Nassau County finances, has played a direct role in the collective bargaining.

"The County wishes to advise you that the County’s offer which formed the basis of that tentative agreement is no longer effective and is withdrawn," according to the letter, which Newsday obtained.

Dellaverson continued, "Please advise as to your availability to meet to resume negotiations at your earliest availability. We look forward to resolving this round of bargaining in an orderly, expeditious and productive manner."

County officials have declined to discuss specifics of the rejected deal. But McDermott has said it would offer police officers raises totaling 25% over 8½ years, provide officers with $3,000 payments for wearing body cameras, but increase officers' out-of-pocket costs for health insurance.

Curran, who is seeking reelection in November, declined to discuss whether the county was willing to renegotiate terms of the deal. "I'm certainly not going to discuss that now," she said.

"It’s too soon for me to say. We’ve got to get the teams together and start hammering it out again," Curran said.

Curran said any PBA agreement must "fit the pattern" of deals struck by the Detectives Association Inc. and the Superior Officers Association, which were formally approved last year.

"I'm hoping that the teams can sit down again and come up with a plan that fits the pattern and that the membership will approve," Curran said.

McDermott said in a statement: "We are in receipt of the letter and I will be meeting with the Board of Governors to discuss our path going forward."

The Nassau County Legislature must approve any final deal, as must NIFA.

Adam Barsky, NIFA chairman, said in a statement: "I would like to reiterate that while [we] have no more money to provide other than what’s in," the agreement PBA rejected, "we would like to see a resolution as soon as possible."

Nassau County Legis. Richard Nicolello (R-New Hyde Park), the legislature's presiding officer, said in a statement: "The Majority will await development and will review any proposed contract to ensure it is in the best interests of our taxpayers and the police officers that serve the county so well."

By Scott Eidler

scott.eidler@newsday.com@ScottEidler

Scott Eidler is a deputy editor for the towns department at Newsday. Scott has worked at Newsday since 2012 and previously covered municipal government and education.