Jersey City and Police Union Leaders Come to Agreement; Proposal to Avoid Layoffs Will Go to Members for a Vote

By • Jan 18th, 2011 • Category: Blog, News, Politics

The executive board of the Jersey City Police Officers Benevolent Association (POBA) has given the green light to a compromise proposal between the union and the Healy administration that would avoid laying off 82 police officers and 7 civilian employees in the Jersey City Police Department (JCPD). The POBA’s executive board has voted to bring the proposal to the full union membership for a vote that should happen by early next week.

If approved, the jobs of the 89 JCPD employees facing the unemployment line on February 15 would be saved. Details of the proposal being considered by the union were not immediately made available; we’ll update this story if and when we receive more information about the specifics. (UPDATE: City spokesperson Jennifer Morrill tells us they are not making the details public “at this time,” a position echoed by a POBA representative.)

“We are pleased that unlike so many other cities around the state and across the country who during this New Great Depression are having to layoff police officers, Jersey City is working to chart a different course,” Mayor Jerramiah Healy says in a statement. “If this agreement is approved by the full union membership, not a single officer will be laid off and our taxpayers will be able to count on the same level of extraordinary service while feeling some financial relief.”

POBA president Jerry DeCicco says he hopes to “have a favorable outcome” before the scheduled February 15 layoff date.

“Mayor Healy and the Jersey City POBA each want to save the jobs of these 82 police officers and keep the streets of Jersey City safe,” DeCicco says in a statement. “We are working together to find a solution that will avert layoffs, protect Jersey City residents and businesses, and save money for the city’s taxpayers.”

Even if the union membership approves the contract, one obstacle remains: the agreement will then have to be approved by the City Council, since it is technically an addendum to the POBA’s existing contract.

Photo: Steve Gold

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is the founding editor of the Jersey City Independent; he now works for a public-policy nonprofit in Trenton.
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  • Anonymous

    from the JJ:

    “But sources said the police union officials agreed to a one-week “pay lag” for its roughly 690 members, a concession that would save the city nearly $4 million this year. The officers would receive the week’s pay when they retire. In return for this concession, sources said each officer would receive two extra personal days this year, an extra day’s pay when they retire, and the city agreed not to take away the annual $1,300-a-year uniform allowance each officer receives.”

    unfortunately, this just pushes the problem into the future. there are no spending curbs or cuts. what is the cost of the additional personal days (overtime)?