With a unanimous vote, the Ulster County Legislature accepted an arbitration settlement with the Ulster County Sheriff’s Employees Association. The agreement provides 2% increases for full time employees and increases immediately the part time pay for Correction Officers from $14.35 per hour to $16 per hour. This agreement is in effect for only those employees currently on the payroll. In addition, those individuals hired after today will pay 20% of their family or individual health insurance premium and the Association agreed to withdraw a grievance of the 1-9 shift.
On February 18th, Mr. George Gunning, President of the Ulster County Sheriff’s Employees Association, spoke to the Legislature at their monthly session seeking their assistance in reaching a conclusion on the negotiations. “I would like some help from you people, our elected officials. We have not had a contract in five years. Mr. Hein refuses to give me an answer, we have gone to Civil Service, we did the impasse, we did the three mediations, we made a final offer, and I just need some help.”
Legislators were thankful the arbitration had finally come to a successful resolve. “As I highlighted in my 2013 address to the Legislature, union agreements have been brought to us with little to no knowledge of how we got there,” noted Minority Leader Kenneth Ronk. “I stand by my request that the Administrative Code be updated to require - not fewer than once per year or at the request of the Chair, Majority Leader, or Minority Leader – the County Executive provide a status update to all contract negotiations and I will be offering such an amendment for next month’s meeting.”
“Let’s hope the next County contract negotiation does not take five years,” stated Legislative Chairman John Parete. “It is time to work together to end these negotiation delays.”
