We read the article titled “Trustees, Board Clash Over Contracts” in the Oct. 15-21 edition of the Hicksville News and were particularly concerned with the comments of Hicksville Library Board Counsel Tom Wassel.
Wassel said the library’s contract proposal would provide a net increase for all CSEA-represented employees. This is not true; in fact many would wind up losing money.
He also claims health care contributions would be more than covered by raises. Do the math, a two percent annual salary percentage increase over four years does not cover a ten percent hike in health insurance premiums.
Wassel says a ten percent cap in health insurance contributions is in place but this is actually ten percent of a premium that increases five to 15 percent annually. That’s why the union is seeking a cap on the dollar amount.
He mentions that the library board is communicating these facts to the community through an “open letter” that was posted on their website. He is correct only if the “open letter” he referenced is the bare facts of the contract offer presented to the union.
Wassel claims that a majority of library workers have received wage increases over the past three years of negotiations. What he does not say is that these “step .009” increases were agreed to by both sides as part of the expired contract, which remains in place under New York State law until a new agreement is reached.
Then he contradicts this disingenuous statement in the next paragraph of the article when he declares that wage increases would only be paid upon reaching an agreement.
These false and conflicting statements seem to indicate Wassel is trying to mislead readers to turn public opinion against the library workers and their union. That’s why we felt it necessary to set the record straight.
CSEA Local Union 882
Hicksville Public Library
