Nashua's Aldermen Reject Labor Contract

It’s time for negotiators to go back to the drawing board.

At a meeting Tuesday night, Nashua’s board of alderman voted to indefinitely postpone the deal that union and city negotiators had agreed to.

Representatives from the two sides had spent many months nailing down the contract.

Employees had accepted no salary increase the first year of their contract, and a three percent increase for the next three years.

Attorney James McNamee is a negotiator for the city.

He says employees were also willing to pay an additional five percent towards their health insurance premiums.

McNamee2.wav: In the second year of the contract, the contract called for them to receive an additional one thousand dollars in their base pay, which was to offset the initial shock of having to take pay for higher percentage of their health care premium.

Alderman at large David Deane says although city employees are conceding to pay for more of their health care, the city continues to absorb most of the costs.

He says Nashua needs to take a hard look at other health plans.

DavidDeane2.wav: I mean, when you’re looking at 15 to 18 percent increases yearly - between that and pensions you start your budget season off by adding in some cases six to eight million dollars to the bottom line of prior year. We can’t continue to do that. Unfortunately, the days of these plans and employees contributions are coming to an end.

JimCampbell2.wav. My question to the alderman is how do they expect to bring down the rising cost of health care by denying employees these contracts.

Jim Campbell is a city employee and chair of the clerical technical union.

He says employees shouldn’t have to make any more compromises to decrease costs.

JimCampbell3.wav. I asked last night one of the city negotiating team members what they’re looking for and he said he didn’t know. He said what was on the table was what the aldermen were looking for.

As Attorney McNamee explains, it is not unusual for employees to work without a contract, but it is certainly not desirable.

McNamee2.wav The important thing to know is that is a negotiated process. The city and the union sit at the table as equals talking about what the contract is going to look like. Ultimately it has to be approved by both sides and the legislative body and the board of alderman.

McNamee says the law requires the parties to keep negotiating until they get a contract.

He estimates a month will pass before they can hammer out new terms.

For NHPR news, I’m Sheryl Rich-Kern.