January 23, 2011
Hon. Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr.
Essex County Executive
Hall of Records, Room 405
465 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Newark, NJ, 07102
Re: Wellness Program
Dear Mr. DiVincenzo:
As per Article XXII. Health and Safety of CWA Local 1081's contract with the County of Essex:
5. The Joint Professional and Clerical Health and Safety Committee may request meetings of the County Executive and/or his designee to discuss unresolved health and safety issues of major concern to the Committee.
As you will please recall, during the January 14, 2011 Labor/Management Roundtable meeting I recounted to you our Union's earnest endeavors over the past several years to encourage your Administration to establish a wellness program for County employees in order to better the quality of their lives and to reduce employee health benefits expenses paid for by the County.
Attached, please find the article published within today's edition of the Star Ledger in which it is reported:
"Rafano, who this month was elected to his second consecutive year as director of the seven-member, all Democratic freeholder board, also announced at the re-organization meeting that the county is planning a wellness program for employees as a way to reduce health care costs. County officials are working with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and its medical school and other private fitness and health care facilities on plans to give employees incentives using fitness centers and counseling. County employees contribute to their health insurance, but participation in health care programs could reduce their contributions and the county’s cost, Pulomena said. Rafano said the program would be modeled on one used in private business."
As you will also please recall, several years ago our Union arranged a meeting with your Chief of Staff Phil Alagia and then CEO of the YMCA of Newark and Vicinity Milton Harrison where Mr. Harrison and I proposed the County embark upon an agreement with the Newark and Montclair YMCA's, working with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), to establish a wellness program for the County's employees. In fact, since that meeting the YMCA of Newark and Vicinity in 2010 established and has operated a wellness center within the UMDNJ campus.
Within the attached article published within the January 15, 2011 edition of the Star Ledger entitled "Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. unveils 2011 budget", it was reported:
"Health-benefit and pension costs climbed 12 percent and 27 percent, respectively."
CWA Local 1081, therefore, respectfully requests that a meeting is soon arranged between our Union's Joint Professional and Clerical Health and Safety Committee and you to discuss the establishment of a wellness program for Essex County employees in partnership with UMDNJ modeled after the Middlesex County program and what we past proposed.
Sincerely,
David H. Weiner, President
CWA Local 1081