NIFA puts fairly negotiated CSEA rights and benefits at risk

MINEOLA, NY (04/05/2011)(readMedia)-- Repeated good-faith efforts by CSEA to fairly negotiate work force cost-savings with the Nassau County executive may now be undermined by the Nassau Interim Finance Authority's recently imposed wage and salary freeze. Rank and file Nassau County employees may face the brunt of financial control measures, despite labor and management efforts to find better ways to address the county's finances while preserving essential services.

"CSEA members do their jobs every day for the people of Nassau County and they deserve some fairness and respect," said CSEA President Danny Donohue. "It's even more important considering that CSEA members have already provided Nassau County with considerable savings through negotiations - a process that is always better than one- sided imposition of terms."

"CSEA recently negotiated an agreement with the county that would have provided significant savings through a revised salary schedule for new hires," said CSEA Nassau County Local President Jerry Laricchiuta. "CSEA members have also done our part in recent years to help address the county's fiscal challenges by agreeing to both salary deferrals and payroll lags."

Nassau County road and highway workers, parks employees, social workers, sewer plant mechanics, clerks, laborers and hundreds of other hard working CSEA members are not living extravagant lifestyles and did not cause the current crisis, Laricciuta said.

"NIFA should realize that there is value in constructive labor-management dialogue," Donohue said "But no one should doubt CSEA's resolve to protect our members interests through the legal challenges or any other means if there are further attempts to impose salary and other payment restrictions."

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