July 6,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, at Wednesday’s council meeting Heather Mailander confirmed that Ridgewood has settled with its “blue and white collar” unions . They have been out of contract since January 2016. 4 year agreements have been reached from January 16th to December 2019.
Highlights include :
Workers working between 35-40 hours will no longer get time and a half, the new contract requires working over 40 .
Workers can no longer build up “compensatory time ” for over time work and must take time and now must take time and half eliminating build up of huge vacation blocks.
Vacations are capped at 25 days for all new hires , 30 days for existing hires any employees over 30 years with the Village will be grandfathered in and will no longer accrue time off
2 new dental options for employees which the Village only pays $25 per month
New employees hired after July 1st will receive half of their accumulated sick leave with a cap at $15,000. Employees can buy back up to 7 days of sick leave per year and will be paid the first 45 days of the following year .
2016 anyone hired before November 1st 2013 will receive a 1.5% bump up lump sum and adjust all salary scales December 31st.
Salary increases will increase in 2017 1.5%, in 2018 1.75% and 2019 2%.
Anyone hired after November 1st 2013 there is now an eleven step scale ,2016 1% lump sum payment 2017 1%.2018 1.5%,and 2019 is 2%. Step increases will now be either January 1st or July 1st only.
Unions have also agreed to a time keeping agreement with a time clock and all employees will be issued an ID Badge.
A newly hired person can get up to 25 days of vacation, but somebody in the job for 30 years gets only five days more? Where’s the incentive to stay?