Union contracts
Settlements not expected by year’s end
by JESSICA L. FINCH Associate Editor

With four days remaining in 2006 and town employees and representatives off for the holidays, it appears three of the town’s major union contracts will not be settled by 2007.

The Amherst Employees Association, Highway and Police unions will begin the new year under the existing contract if an agreement is not settled. Both the highway and police contracts expired in 2005.

Personnel Director Robert McCarthy was not available for comment on contract negotiations but told The Amherst Bee last week that benefits would not be affected by failure to settle.

The contracts affect approximately 410 employees, Supervisor Satish Mohan said.

“We want to make (the contracts) as uniform as possible and give the employees all they are due,” Mohan said. “Taxpayers want employees to get the best benefits.”

He added that any unreasonable demands need to be taken care of for the benefit of the taxpayers.

Mohan said he is hoping to have all three of the contracts settled in the next two months.

The police contract is being sent to an arbitrator after the town was unable to settle the contract.

Detective Edward Guzdek Jr., the representative for the police union, said negotiations are at an impasse and the state has been asked to send a mediator.

“Both sides are just really far apart. It has been a difficult process,” he said, adding that further comment is not allowed during negotiations.

Mohan estimated that negotiations were approximately halfway through the highway contract, and discussions about the AEA were just beginning.

Council Member Dan Ward pushed for the immediate settling of the highway contract in November, saying the town spends approximately $50,000 extra each month in insurance costs due to the unsettled contract.

Once contracts have been agreed upon they need to be approved by the Amherst Town Board.