No. Castle Police to Contribute to Health Insurance in New Contract
North Castle officials came to terms on a new contract last week with the town’s police union that will see officers contribute to their health insurance coverage for the first time in the municipality’s history.
The agreement with the Police Benevolent Association calls for annual 2.5 percent salary increases retroactive to 2011 and continuing for another four years. The police have been working without a new pact since the end of 2010.
All future hires will pay 12 percent of the health insurance premium. This year’s cost for family coverage is $21,706.32 while the 2015 premium for an individual plan is $9,660.60.
Current officers will contribute 2.5 percent of the top patrolman’s salary in the department toward their health insurance in 2015; 2.75 percent in 2016 and 2017; and 3 percent in 2018. The salary for the top patrolman on the force this year is $102,576.
For the town, the big concession was having the PBA agree to make health insurance contributions that have been escalating an average of 8 percent a year for the past 20 years, said Supervisor Michael Schiliro.
“I want to commend the PBA for recognizing that times are changing and the guts of the (Memorandum of Agreement) is that for the first time in the history of the town, the PBA, the police officers will be contributing toward health insurance,” Schiliro said.
Figuring out a fair percentage for contributions was a difficult and complicated negotiation, Schiliro acknowledged. Under the formula that was agreed to by both sides, by the end of the four years the two groups of officers will pay virtually the same amount of coverage to within .001 of a percent, he said.
Councilman Stephen D’Angelo said there were times during the past few years that he never thought that the two sides would agree to a new contract and commended Schiliro for persevering.
“You put your heart into this one to get a contract with the PBA that goes out for the next four years, so we don’t have to worry about it,” D’Angelo said. “I think we got a good concession with the health insurance.”
A message left for PBA President Joel Thomas was not returned late last week.
The only skeptical comment came from North White Plains resident Ed Lobermann who congratulated officials for reaching the agreement, but said it was inequitable for the town’s non-union workers and retirees to pay 30 percent of the premium’s cost.
“We’re asking people who make minimum pensions to pay 30 percent, yet the police officer who’s making $100,000 a year pays less than half that,” Lobermann said. “It’s unfair.”
Schiliro said it was gratifying to reach a resolution with the police after the town had negotiated agreements with the municipality’s other bargaining units.
“I’m happy that we’ve gotten it done, it’s a long time in the making and I’ll say it again, I appreciate and commend the PBA for realizing that times have changed and they were in agreement to start contributing,” he said.
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