Borough Negotiations with the PBA – Another Perspective
Franklin Lakes PBA 150, in the last couple of weeks, has sent out letters, posted on social media and sent text messages with information and allegations which are critical of the Mayor and Council’s position in collective bargaining negotiations with the PBA. The information that the PBA has communicated is not accurate. The purpose of this article is to provide data and information so that Borough residents are not misinformed.
It must be noted at the outset that the Borough of Franklin Lakes and its residents are the beneficiaries of an outstanding police force. They are mission-focused, professional and extremely dedicated to providing high quality public safety services. It is therefore vitally important that the Borough compensate the members of the Police Department fairly and competitively. To that end, these are the facts that residents should be aware of to understand the context of the negotiations between the Borough and the PBA:
Salary Increases
- For the period from 2012 to 2023, the average increase in salary for a PBA member was 4.74% annually. For the most recent PBA contract (for the period from 2019 to 2023), the average increase in salary for a PBA member was 7.1% annually.
- For the period from 2012 to 2023, the average increase in salary for a member of AFSCME was just over 4% annually. AFSCME is the other Borough collective bargaining unit and includes DPW, dispatchers and other non-managerial Borough employees. Only DPW and dispatchers in AFSCME get the benefit of steps/increments.
- For the period from 2012 to 2023, the average increase in salary for non-union Borough employees – primarily department heads and certain confidential employees – was 2.5% annually, not including salary adjustments. Non-union members do not get the benefit of steps/increments. Employee Group Comparison.
Starting Salaries
The starting salary in 2023 for a member of the PBA was $73,239, approximately $15,000 more than any other Northwest Bergen town. There are 13 towns in “Northwest Bergen”. Starting salary comparison.
Salaries Over Time
In the first 10 years of their career, based on existing contracts and imputing identical increases for all towns for years not currently under contract, Franklin Lakes PBA members would earn more than the other 10 of 12 Northwest Bergen towns. Comparison of compensation over 10, 20 and 30 years.
Overtime and Private Duty
In addition to their base salaries, in 2023, members of the Police Department earned over $113,000 in overtime and over $612,000 in private duty. Private duty is paid to officers that work on traffic control, most often for utilities, with Borough payments to officers reimbursed by those that use private duty. Members of the Police Department are all paid at the rate of $95 per hour for private duty, regardless of their regular hourly rate.
Negotiations
In the current collective bargaining negotiations, the Borough’s offer to the PBA included increases that were more than any other employee group and over twice the inflation rate. The offer was rejected by the PBA.
- The PBA’s most recent request in negotiations was for an increase of over 38% over 4 years, or over 9.5% on average per year.
- The percentage increases in base salary in the Borough’s offer to the PBA was significantly more than the average base salary increases in the Northwest Bergen towns that have a contract for the years 2024-2026. Chart showing NW Bergen towns.
The Mayor and Council, notwithstanding the PBA’s campaign, remain committed to finding an amicable resolution on a contract with the PBA.