The New Hyde Park Village Board announced last week that it ratified a new employee contract, retroactive to June 2014. This ended the back and forth between the Civil Service Employees Union [CSEA] and the village, which Mayor Robert Lofaro called “friendly.” The CSEA did not return calls for comment.
“We thank the local CSEA in New Hyde Park for their cooperation and good faith,” he said. “They understood what we were up against with the 2 percent tax cap. Based on that, I think they negoiated with us very fairly.”
The six-year contract runs until 2020, with an 11.5 percent salary increase over the length of the contract. New Hyde Park employees will receive 1.75 percent bumps in 2014 and 2015. From 2016-’20, workers will get 2 percent increases each year.
The previous contract called for 3.8 percent increases over six years.
“I’m delighted we came to a conclusion,” Lofaro said. “I want to stress to the union members how delighted we are with the cooperation we were able to come an agreement.”
The base salary for new employees was raised to $30,000, a $2,000 increase from the last contract, Lofaro said.
“Employees we hired a few months ago at $28,000 will be increased,”
he said.
For the first two years of the contract, all employees get free medical benefits. In year three and four of the contract, workers will contribute 5 percent to medical insurance. In the final two years of the new agreement, village employees will need to kick in 10 percent towards the benefits package.
“By the end of the contract term, every employee will pay for their medical,” Lofaro said.
Negotiations begin on May 31, 2014 when the contract expired. Lofaro felt both sides benefited in the end.
“I think it’s very fair and I believe they believe it’s fair as well,” Lofaro said. “I believe we did the best we could do based on our obligations as fiduciaries for the village and [the CSEA] did the best they could do for their members as well.”
