CORRECTION OFFICERS DEMONSTRATE FOR VOTE ON BINDING ARBITRATION LEGISLATION Sheriff Officers Association - Long Island FREE Press at LongIsland.com, 04-25-2007
For more than 10 months the Sheriff Officers Association, the union that represents Nassau County?s 1,100 Correction Officers, has not had any meaningful discussions with the Suozzi Administration. The union does not have a contract with the County and has not had one for more than two years. To help to remedy this impasse, the Sheriff Officers Association (ShOA), is seeking to have the Nassau County Legislature pass home rule legislation that would allow the union to have access to binding arbitration. With a positive vote this matter can be brought to the New York State Legislature for needed approval.
On Wednesday, April 25th hundreds of correction officers join union leaders for a rally in front of the Nassau County Legislative Office Building, located at One West Street in Mineola. During the public comment period, Union President Duer and union leaders will addressed the Legislature.
?Currently our union is the only law enforcement bargaining unit in lower New York State that does not have binding arbitration as a bargaining option. At the last meeting of the Nassau County Legislature the majority, at least 14 legislators, stated or indicated that they were in favor of having a vote on this issue. We urge Presiding Officer Jacobs to put this important legislation on the agenda now,? said Sheriff Officers Association President John Duer. ?We are very surprised that this legislation has not moved forward. Presiding Officer Jacobs and many legislators voted in favor of our contract and this same binding arbitration legislation less than a year ago. Why is she impeding this process now? The County?s financial situation is no worse today than it was 10 months ago. The Nassau Interim Finance Authority is not opposed to binding arbitration and we know of no other entities that are opposing ShOA having this option.?
On April 11, more than 250 members of the union rallied in support of this legislation and more than 60 members of the union were present at the meeting of the full legislature. Many legislators concurred at this meeting that Nassau?s Correction Officers are being treated very poorly. The impact of this poor treatment can be seen in the significant media coverage this issue has received in recent weeks.
?Presiding Officer Jacobs must understand that we should not have to wait until June when the PBA and other unions negotiate their contracts. At the last meeting of the Legislature our attorney Richard Kohler explained that ?me too? or ?reopeners? which automatically grant the PBA what correction officers negotiate are not legal and not applicable. Now that legislators have and are receiving accurate information they should be allowed to vote their consciences on this matter. There is no reason why our members should wait until after other unions have new contracts,? added Duer.
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For more information, please contact: Bill Corbett
Phone Number : 516 775 0435
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