Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef announced late Thursday that the county reached tentative labor agreements with two more unions: the Rockland Association of Management (RAM) and the Doctors’ Council.The terms of the proposed agreements are the same as reached with the the county's largest union with 1,744 members.
RAM with 216 members is the county’s second largest labor union and the Doctors’ Council has 46 members. The tentative agreements came one day after members of the CSEA voted overwhelmingly in favor of a new contract.
“I am pleased that RAM and the Doctors’ Council have agreed to the same concessions as the CSEA,” said Vanderhoef. “I would like to thank the leadership of the unions for working with us and realizing that settling these contracts are an important part of our overall plan to improve the County’s finances. We believe that these agreements benefit the County, the employees and the taxpayers of Rockland County.”
The tentative agreements, which are retroactive to January 1, 2011 and run through December 31, 2013, include the following:
- A 15% health insurance contribution rate for new employees
- A salary and wage freeze through the life of the contract, with the exception of five year longevity increases or salary increases tied to job promotions
- Deferred payment for a total of 10 days work during certain periods in 2012 and 2013, with compensation for those days taking place on December 1, 2014
- Language preventing layoffs for budgetary reasons through the life of the contract
Thomas Micelli, President of RAM said, “These are difficult times and this has been a difficult settlement.”
The agreements are expected to be voted on by the two unions next week. If
ratified, they would then go to the County Legislature for final approval. The legislature may vote on the CSEA agreement on Tuesday, Sept. 19.
10 unions represent Rockland County government employees and Vanderhoef said the county is hoping to reaching agreements with the remaining unions soon.
