The Hoboken City Council unanimously approved (9-0) two retroactive contracts with their police and fire department through 2023 at last night’s meeting.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The governing body approved the contracts for Firefighters Local 1078 and the Hoboken Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, PBA Local 2 one meeting after their respective presidents called on them to ratify the agreements.
The municipal contracts provide cost savings to the city by waiving backpay for three years for current employees, along with an agreement to make adjustments to health benefits to mirror the plan that is offered by the State of New Jersey – the biggest sticking point for the deals.
“I’m glad to share that we have come to an agreement with two of our valued unions that not only provides a fair contract to our frontline public safety employees but also includes multi-million dollar savings to the Hoboken taxpayers,” Mayor Ravi Bhalla said in a statement.
“Thank you to the leaders of the two unions, Police Officer Marc Marsi and Firefighter Tom Worley, for working with my administration on these contracts.”
The agreements, which run from January 1st, 2018 through December 31st, 2023, with the firefighters’ contract assuring a starting salary, or Step 1, of next year $46,000 (up from $45,860) and ability to max out at $122,000 (up from $101,080), or Step 9.
As for the POBA, the figures are similar: with Step 1 topping out at $46,383.75 (starting at $43,194.93) and Step 9 reaching $125,822.87 (starting at $100,990.04).
The contracts were approved as part of the consent agenda and did not include any further discussion from the council.
Additionally, negotiations with the Hoboken Municipal Supervisors Association, Hoboken Municipal Employees Association, and Fire Officers Local 1076 are ongoing.
