August 7, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 7 Midland Park Both sides mum on PBA contract despite arbitration The Borough of Midland Park and the local Patrol- men’s Benevolent Association (PBA) have yet to sign a contract for 2013, and neither side would give the reasons for the delay. The previous three-year contract expired on Dec. 31. Following mediation and arbitration sessions requested by the PBA in January, a Public Employment Relations Commission interest arbitrator ruled in March on a number of issues related to salary and benefits. The arbitrator was limited by state law to an aggregate salary increase of no more than 2 percent above the aggregate amount expended in salary items for the preceding 12 months. “While both our local and the borough wanted to come to a united contract decision, it became apparent after a number of meetings our point of view and concerns still differed from the borough’s, at which point arbitration was pursued,” explained Officer Steve Vander Pyl, the PBA president, of the union’s decision. In its final offer to the union, the borough had proposed a three-year contract with salary increases of 1 percent in 2013, and 1.5 percent in each 2014 and 2015. The borough also sought to increase the number of steps in the salary guides, reduce the annual sick leave and eliminate car- ryover or accumulation of sick leave, and reduce terminal leave for current employees and eliminate it entirely for new hires. The PBA had sought a 2.5 percent across the board wage increase in each year of the contract and a three- hour minimum call-back time for its 14 members. The arbitrator, Susan Osborn, awarded a two-year con- tract through Dec. 31, 2014. Limited to a total increase of $47,966 over that two-year period, she opted to divide that amount unevenly among the union members so as to be as equitable as possible given built-in disparities in the expired contract. “This award will provide employees still progress- ing through the step guide with some step movement, while also providing a small cost of living increase to all employees. At the same time, it will adjust the salary guides to provide a slightly slower progression to top step (in 12 yers).. .. Candidly, I can do no better, given the tight limitations of the 2 percent cap law, to address the issues of comparability with other municipalities and the effects this award might have on employee morale and the police force’s ability to attract and retain quality staff,” Osborn said in her ruling. Under her award, the salary of all police officers who are no longer going through the salary steps, including the lieutenant and the sergeants, will see their salary frozen at 2012 rates until Sept. 1, 2014, at which time they will receive a 2 percent raise. The two officers at the seventh step of the guide, will have to stay on the guide an addi- tional year. Officers hired after June 1, 2010 currently on the guide, will be frozen in step until their anniversary date and will then receive an adjustment in lieu of increment until the 2 percent raise goes into effect on Sept. 1, 2014. Under the arbitrator’s award, base pay for patrolmen at the end of the contract will range from $32,914 to $115,670. Sergeants would receive $121,290, and the lieutenant’s salary would be $126,913. Noting that the current terminal leave benefits are comparable to a longevity plan, the arbitrator reduced the 60-day benefit upon retirement for new hires to 40 days but kept it in place for all current employees. She also (continued on page 31)