Christie Says Two-Year Wage Freeze Gets Backing From Unions
January 20, 2012, 6:08 PM ESTBy Terrence Dopp
Jan. 20 (Bloomberg) -- New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said members of two unions that represent more than 5,000 workers have agreed to a two-year wage freeze.
The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers AFL-CIO, Local 195, and the Service Employees International Union, Local 518, which are both covered by one contract, ratified the agreement, Christie said today in an e- mailed statement. The vote by a “large majority” will clear the way for a contract retroactive to July 1, the governor said.
“I appreciate the union membership’s recognition of the fiscal realities we continue to face as we work to bring New Jersey state government back to a stable, sustainable and affordable path,” Christie said. “Just as in the private sector, public employees have had to face these economic realities.”
The deal, first announced in December, freezes wages for the first two years. Employees would receive raises of 1 percent in the third year and 1.75 percent in the final one.
Christie said his administration continues negotiations with other unions, including the largest, the 35,000-member Communications Workers of America. He said he expects similar concessions.
The engineers’ union represents about 4,900 employees in the executive branch and at universities who work in operations; maintenance and services; crafts; and inspections and security. SEIU represents about 190 workers at the Motor Vehicle Commission.
--With assistance from Greg Chang in San Francisco. Editors: Mark Schoifet, Stephen Merelman
To contact the reporter on this story: Terrence Dopp in Trenton at tdopp@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Mark Tannenbaum at mtannen@bloomberg.net
