Success of Nassau detective pact depends on other union agreements
While County Executive Laura Curran and Nassau's detective's union say a proposed labor contract will attract new detectives, its appeal hinges on whatever deals and benefits are negotiated by the county's other four unions, according to a financial review.
The legislature's Budget Review Office last Thursday issued a seven-page report analyzing the terms of the county's proposed 8-1/2 year contract with the Detectives Association -- the first of the county's five major unions to reach an agreement with the administration since their contracts expired at the end of 2017.
The administration has said the deal will solve a chronic and growing detective shortage. It told legislators that 15 police officers have already applied to become detective after learning about the new terms.
Because of pay scales negotiated in 2014 that limited detective salaries, fewer and fewer police officers asked to be promoted to the once-coveted job. Some detectives even turned back their shields and returned to patrol because there was little financial incentive to work long hours under stressful conditions. Although the county had budgeted for 360 detectives, only 300 were still working fulltime by the end of last year.
Curran said the new deal improves the pay scale and reduces the time to reach top pay while wages overall would rise about 15 percent over the contract term. In return, she said detectives had agreed to work more hours, contribute to their health insurance and accepted a gradual cut in total termination pay.
But budget review said solving the detective shortage will turn on the pay and benefits ultimately negotiated by the Police Benevolent Association, the Superior Officers Association, the Corrections Officers Benevolent Association and the Civil Service Employees Association.
"Depending on the outcome of the other agreements, it could make it more or less enticing to become a detective," budget review reported.
It added that the deal will have a net cost of $53.4 million over the 8-1/2 years.
Budget review also noted that the contract "will be nullified" if the county's 20-year-old financial control board, the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, should impose another benefit freeze, such as three-year wage freeze it imposed on union workers in 2011.
The county legislature is expected to approve the contract on Monday.
The legislature's Budget Review Office last Thursday issued a seven-page report analyzing the terms of the county's proposed 8-1/2 year contract with the Detectives Association -- the first of the county's five major unions to reach an agreement with the administration since their contracts expired at the end of 2017.
The administration has said the deal will solve a chronic and growing detective shortage. It told legislators that 15 police officers have already applied to become detective after learning about the new terms.
Because of pay scales negotiated in 2014 that limited detective salaries, fewer and fewer police officers asked to be promoted to the once-coveted job. Some detectives even turned back their shields and returned to patrol because there was little financial incentive to work long hours under stressful conditions. Although the county had budgeted for 360 detectives, only 300 were still working fulltime by the end of last year.
Curran said the new deal improves the pay scale and reduces the time to reach top pay while wages overall would rise about 15 percent over the contract term. In return, she said detectives had agreed to work more hours, contribute to their health insurance and accepted a gradual cut in total termination pay.
But budget review said solving the detective shortage will turn on the pay and benefits ultimately negotiated by the Police Benevolent Association, the Superior Officers Association, the Corrections Officers Benevolent Association and the Civil Service Employees Association.
"Depending on the outcome of the other agreements, it could make it more or less enticing to become a detective," budget review reported.
It added that the deal will have a net cost of $53.4 million over the 8-1/2 years.
Budget review also noted that the contract "will be nullified" if the county's 20-year-old financial control board, the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, should impose another benefit freeze, such as three-year wage freeze it imposed on union workers in 2011.
The county legislature is expected to approve the contract on Monday.
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