Christie Administration Announces Ratification of Contract Agreement with State's Largest Law Enforcement Unit

Press Release

Governor Chris Christie announced today that the membership of the Police Benevolent Association Local 105 have ratified a four-year contract that appropriately holds salary increases to a level that recognizes and is consistent with current economic realities, while providing fairness for both the state's taxpayers and the represented workers. Three contract agreements have been reached between the Christie Administration and labor unions to date, including a tentative agreement with the Communications Workers of America, the state's largest public employee union. This is the second contract ratification to be approved this year.

The union announced the ratification results on Monday and the contract is retroactive to July 1, 2011. PBA 105 is the state's largest law enforcement unit, representing over 6,000 employees, primarily corrections and parole officers.

"I appreciate the union membership's ratification of an agreement that respects both the interests of the represented workers and our state's taxpayers who also have had to adapt to difficult economic circumstances over the past years," said Governor Christie.

The across-the-board salary increases in the ratified agreement are as follows:

For Employees on Steps 1 through 9: July 1, 2011 -- 0 percent; July 1, 2012 -- 0 percent; July 1, 2013 -- 0 percent , and July 1, 2014 -- 1 percent.

For Employees on Step 10 (top step), the across-the-board salary increases are as follows: July 1, 2011 -- 0 percent; July 1, 2012 -- 0 percent; July 1, 2013 -- 1.75 percent, and July 1, 2014 -- 1.5 percent.

The agreement also includes significant non-salary related changes to achieve meaningful savings for taxpayers:

Over $2 million in savings over the life of the contract as a result of the removal of clothing allowances for parole officers who are not required to purchase or wear uniforms or specialized clothing at work;

Reducing paid union leave by over 500 days, a 28% reduction from the previous contract;

No longer issuing supplemental overtime checks as a separate payroll item, but including them in regular, biweekly employee payroll schedule; and

Reducing paid holidays to 12 for each calendar year.

PBA 105 represents rank-and-file law enforcement officers in the Department of Corrections, Juvenile Justice Commission, and the State Parole Board. The majority of the unit consists of Corrections Officers as well as a small number of Parole Officers.

Source