September 28, 2011
Yvonne Davis, Director
Essex County Division of Welfare
18 Rector Street, Floor 9
Newark, NJ, 07102
Re: Step II Class Action Contractual Grievance
Non-Payment of Retirees' Raises
Article I. Purpose
Article VIII. Salaries and Compensation
Article XXV. Non-Discrimination
Dear Ms. Davis:
CWA Local 1081 submits this Step II Class Action Contractual Grievance on behalf of our eligible retired members whom have yet to receive the pay raises due them as required by the respective Memorandum of Agreement(s) the County and the Union negotiated and agreed to covering the period January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2013.
Essex County Department of Human Services Director Alan Abramowitz responsibly and rapidly replied to CWA Local 1081's emailed inquires of September 26, 2011 to him regarding the payment of the pay raises due our applicable retired members in the following fashion:
"They are supposed to ask us for a worksheet 'when they are ready to process'. We have had the worksheet ready for months and have asked several times when we should send it. Pension's response has been this is not a priority and they will get to it eventually. It is frustrating to us and unfair to the retirees. We will keep trying."
CWA Local 1081 appreciates the earnest efforts effectuated by Mr. Abramowitz to compel the State to accept the cited worksheet so that the County may pay the retirees' raises However, our Union must nonetheless respectfully demand Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo put to better use his unique relationship with New Jersey Governor Christie than merely obtaining State Green Acres monies for Essex County's zoo, parks and golf courses, and State monies for the placement of ICE prisoners within the County's jail and Delaney Hall, by telephoning the governor at his present political passage and convincing Mr. Christie to order his pension operatives to immediately facilitate the process of precipitating payment to our Union's retirees their raises.
We seek a hearing in this regard.
Sincerely,
David H. Weiner, President
CWA Local 1081