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The existing collective bargaining agreement, which expired on Dec. 31, 2012, will be extended to Dec. 31, 2018 and will provide for increases to the base wage, employee contribution to health care costs and improved the sick leave monitoring system.
“The agreement required considerable negotiation with a great deal of give and take. It is fair and equitable to our employees while being fiscally prudent and enabling us to stay within the tax cap. For the first time police officers will make contributions to health care costs as do all other employees of the Town," Supervisor Chris Burdick said.
Andrew Klein, Bedford PBA President, welcomed the settlement, “On behalf of the PBA I would like to thank the Town Supervisor and all Town officials that assisted in making this deal possible. I would also like to thank our PBA, its negotiating committee and all members for their tireless effort in reaching this agreement. We feel it is fair and addresses the needs of all involved while maintaining the best interests of the residents of our Town.”
Police Chief Melvin Padilla said, “I am pleased that we were able to come to an agreement. I congratulate the bargaining committees and membership of the PBA on their effort to be reasonable so we could come to terms that make sense.”
Councilman Don Scott, who was on the Town’s negotiating team, noted, “I want to thank the PBA's negotiating team for their hard work. It is a balanced contract that provides a competitive salary scale along with work rule changes that improve productivity and save Bedford taxpayers money."
The Town Board will consider the Memorandum of Agreement, which has been posted to the Town’s website, at it's Nov. 5 meeting.
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