Highway contract ready for union vote
by JESSICA L. FINCH Associate Editor

Representatives of the Amherst Highway Employees Association and the Town of Amherst said Thursday that they have reached an agreement in regard to the highway contract.

Amherst Supervisor Satish Mohan, Personnel Director Bob McCarthy and Highway Association President Chris O'Neill made the announcement in a press conference in Town Hall.

Both the 162 union members and the seven Town Board members will have to vote on the contract, which would expire in 2010.

O'Neill said he is planning an Aug. 8 meeting for the union members with their attorney. The contract will be accepted if the majority of members in attendance vote for the pact.

"Not having a contract is bad for morale. The workers feel like the administration doesn't care," he said about finally settling the agreement.

O'Neill said the entire process, one year and seven months, has been frustrating. Association president for four years, he negotiated the last contract, which took one year and 10 months.

"As a negotiator you have to know what you are getting into, and Mohan had never done this before," he said.

He added that in 2005 he wrote letters requesting negotiations begin, as the contract would expire Dec. 31, 2005. He said in July 2005 he had to file with the Public Employment Relations Board because of the town's failure to negotiate.

He felt that a lot of time was wasted as negotiations came to a halt at one point, losing any ground that had been covered.

"It could have been done shortly after (Mohan) took office," he said.

While O'Neill would not discuss the terms without first meeting with the highway employees, he said there is a lot of give and take, and each side decides what they want most and what they are willing to give up.

An unknown amount of retroactive pay will be included if the contract is approved, as well as raises, he said. Had the contract gone to an impasse, retroactive pay would be eliminated, he added.

Mohan said during the process that he remembered what residents told him when he was campaigning: to pay the workers for as much as they do.

"We came out with an agreement they could say 'yes' to," he said.

Both sides said the pact was equitable and fair.

The contract will put all highway employees on one health care provider. The previous contract, which ended in December 2005, was costing the town an estimated $52,000 a month in insurance costs.

The agreement to use one provider, if approved, will save that amount. To date, the town has paid close to $1 million for insurance costs for those employees.

Highway employees will also pay 10 percent of insurance premiums, and new hires will pay 15 percent.

"I think it's equitable for both sides; it's fair," O'Neill said. More details will be announced when the contract has been officially accepted by both sides.