Essex County again rejects NCCC raises

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September 8, 2010

Lawmakers say they support college, but not this contract

By LOHR McKINSTRY Staff Writer The Press Republican Wed Sep 08, 2010, 09:24 AM EDT

ELIZABETHTOWN — The latest vote by Essex County lawmakers on raises for North Country Community College support staff didn't go any better than the first.

After turning down the new labor contract last week, the County Board of Supervisors squashed it again Tuesday.

Some supervisors said they wanted to send a message to NCCC leaders that 3-percent annual raises and fully paid health insurance for all but new hires is not acceptable.

EXCLUDED FROM TALKS

Supervisor Roby Politi (R-North Elba) brought the college's support-staff agreement back for a revote Tuesday after it was defeated last Monday.

"I don't agree with the contract," Politi said. "The thing that bothers me about this is we're placed in a position to approve this contract and yet none of us were part of these negotiations.

"I'm troubled by this whole process."

The expired contract had flat $1,000 annual raises that averaged 3.2 percent over three years and no contribution to health insurance.

The new contract would have given a $1,000 raise the first year and 3-percent raises each year for two more years, along with requiring new workers to pay 8 percent of their health-insurance premiums.

TALKS WILL REOPEN

County Manager Daniel Palmer told supervisors that without an approved contract, the college and the Civil Services Employees Association union, representing staff, will go back to the bargaining table.

"The terms of the previous contract will remain in effect. The CSEA is probably better off under the terms of the old contract."

He said state regulations require the college's sponsoring counties, Essex and Franklin, to ratify labor agreements. Franklin County legislators tabled voting on the contract last week because they wanted to see if Essex County took it up again.

DEFEATED

Politi said they all support the college, but the issue before them was an onerous contract.

"By voting no, you're sending a message to the college you're not going to condone this type of negotiation."

The board's weighted-vote system requires something to get at least 1,422 votes to pass. The vote totals were 1,339 to approve the contract and 1,039 to reject, and Clerk of the Board Deborah Palmer declared it defeated.

Voting no on the contract were Supervisors Debra Malaney (R-Ticonderoga), Bethany Kosmider (D-Crown Point), Sharon Boisen (I-Essex), William Ferebee (R-Keene), Randy Douglas (D-Jay), David Blades (R-Lewis), Randy Preston (I-Wilmington) and Thomas Scozzafava (R-Moriah).

Yes votes were Supervisors Gerald Morrow (D-Chesterfield), Noel Merrihew III (R-Elizabethtown), George Canon (R-Newcomb), Rob Dobie (D-North Hudson), Daniel Connell (D-Westport) and Politi.

Politi said he voted for the new contract because going back to the old one was an even better deal for the union.

Willsboro's seat is vacant, and Supervisors Sue Montgomery Corey (D-Minerva), Joyce Morency (R-St. Armand), and Cathy Moses (R-Schroon) were absent.

WILL REPORT BACK

After the meeting, NCCC Vice President for Fiscal Operations William Chapin, who had been in the audience, said that when he has something to report on the contract he will return to the Board of Supervisors.

"We'll go back to the college and do some internal discussions. We'll look at the college first and see where we go from there."

He said he couldn't predict if reopening negotiations would produce concessions.

"It's hard to know. There's always discussion that can happen."

E-mail Lohr McKinstry at: lmckinstry@pressrepublican.com