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Nassau Corrections Officers' contract stalled Nassau County's 1,100 Corrections Officers have been trying to get a new contract, and to press the county to give their bargaining unit the right to binding arbitration. They have held press conferences and picketed in front of county offices, but their pleas have gone largely ignored, they said. The Corrections Officer's contract expired in June of last year and to date they have not reached an agreement with the county. As negotiations dragged on, the union asked that the Nassau County Legislature pass a home-rule measure giving the unit the right to binding arbitration, a legal technique for the resolution of disputes outside the courts. In binding arbitration, the dispute is heard by an impartial hearing officer and his or her decision must be accepted by both sides. Traditionally, these hearings have favored employees. Nassau County records show that correction offic- ers have 11 pay steps earning $25,000 to $72,925. Corporals earn from $40,095 to $79,394; Sergeants from $43,731 to $86,663 and Lieutenants from $46,238 to $94,307. Like all other Nassau employees, they have a full benefit package, including fully paid health care. "We are the only Union we know of that has been rejected by the legislature," said Thomas DeStefano, ShOA board of directors. Nassau and Suffolk County Police, as well as Suffolk County Corrections Officers, Sheriffs and State Police have binding arbitration as part of their contract. N.C. Legislator Peter Schmitt (R-Massapequa) said he'd be happy to review the proposal for binding arbitration, but said it's never been put on the table by the Democratic majority in the legislature. "Politics plays a big part in this process," said Schmitt. "There are 17 legislators who want to vote on the home-rule issue because these people deserve a 'yes' or a 'no' answer, but (N.C. Presiding Officer) Judy Jacobs has refused to put it on the legislative calendar. Since she's in charge, there's nothing else we can do." Despite that, Schmitt said that the unions request for binding arbitration shows a "failure on the part of the county in negotiating a fair contract with the employees." "Binding arbitration takes the issue out of the hands of the elected officials," he said. "This is a failure on the part of (N.C. Executive) Tom Suozzi who has been unable or unwilling to sit down and negotiate a contract with these employees." "We just want to make sure that our men and women, who perform the toughest job in law enforcement, are treated fairly," said Thomas DeStefano, a spokesman for the union, who added that binding arbitration would ensure that the officers would get a contract. He declined to discuss other issues on the table, such as raises and other benefits. Phone calls to Jacobs and Suozzi's office for their comments were not returned.
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