Law on public workers' contracts examined

Since 1967, the state has imposed heavy fines on public employees who strike - and funded the Public Employment Relations Board to resolve contract disputes.

Two years after a crippling transit strike in New York City, the state in 1982 added the so-called Triborough Amendment, extending terms of expired public employee contracts until new ones are negotiated.

Now budget-vexed officials speak seriously of revision. Lawrence Schwartz, adviser to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo - and one-time deputy Suffolk executive - was quoted last week as saying: "We're looking at different things that we can do with Triborough - maybe freeze it, suspend it. Maybe there's something for the next two or three years that can be done and revert back."

Cuomo didn't take a stance on Triborough during the campaign. School boards and municipal governments have long backed repeal, citing automatic "step" increases that hike their costs between contracts. But in a twist, labor advocates say elected executives actually have used Triborough to their advantage - by letting negotiations lag until unions accepted multiyear pacts with smaller increases overall.

DEMOCRAT DEPARTS: Not long ago, Rafe Lieber was the Town of North Hempstead Democratic chairman. He has not only left that role - he's switched registration to the Independence Party. Lieber had been an aide to Democrats: Rep. Gary Ackerman, ex-County Executive Thomas Suozzi, North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman and ex-Sen. Craig Johnson. Now he's with the firm Gotham Government Relations.

Lieber said he made the decision when he moved to a different Nassau Assembly district. "Now that I'm not in government, I really just thought my philosophies are middle of the road, and I don't necessarily identify myself anymore with the major parties." Rather than register as a "blank," Lieber said he still wanted "to be able to vote in primaries, carry petitions and support candidates I believe in."

TELE-GOVERNING: The Fire Island village of Saltaire's trustees were allowed by a court in November to continue convening 60 miles away in Manhattan. Late last week, notice of a meeting Tuesday was posted on the village website. It was to be at 1 Battery Park Plaza, address of Brune & Richard, the law firm of trustee Hillary Richard. But Friday the location was removed after maverick Noel Feustel, who'd challenged the practice, said he contacted building managers regarding access to 1BPP. A new site, with teleconferencing to Saltaire, was to be announced.