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CITY OF PLAINFIELD

NEW JERSEY

Public Information Office For Immediate

Release510 Watchung Avenue November 19, 2007Plainfield, NJ

CITY AND PBA REACH TENTATIVE AGREEMENT

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Mayor Brings Party back to table, Saves City $150, 000

Plainfield – A week prior to the start of arbitration, Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs

brought the city’s negotiating team and the PBA/SOA back to the table. The teams initiallyhit an impasse but subsequently were able to hammer out a three year contract (1/1/07-1/1/09).

 This is the first year since 1999 that this contract was settled without arbitration, and haseliminated the cost of arbitration expenses. The last arbitration settlement with the PBAresulted in a four percent (4%) increase in 2005 and four point two five percent (4.25%) in2006. The current tentative agreement settles the salary increases at three point seven fivepercent (3.75%) for each year of the contract. In addition, this settlement also provides thatthe City and the PBA share in the savings that will result from the PBA giving back theirsecond prescription plan that was awarded some years ago. Through this sharingagreement the city will recognize savings of approximately one hundred and fifty thousanddollars ($150,000) per year in insurance premium cost. In exchange, officers will receive anincrease in longevity payments. These payments made to officers based on the time inservice to the city as follows:

From $500 to 2% of annual salary (10+ years of service)From $1250 to 3% of annual salary (15+ years of service)From $1600 to 5.25% of annual salary (20+ years of service)From $2000 to 5.25% of annual Salary (25+ years of service)

 The elimination of the prescription plan represents a major gain in the city’s efforts tocontrol spending. Prescription costs over the last few years have significantly increased tothe tune of double digits and are projected to continue at a rate that doubles currentinflation rates. Although the projected increase in the contract over the next three (3) yearsis one point three million dollars ($1.3), the actual increase will be eight hundred and fiftyeight thousand dollars ($858,000) since four hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($450,000)is currently budgeted as prescription insurance. This saving is doubly important in that itrepresents a permanent, long term saving for the city.

PBA President Andre Crawford had this to say:“I have a great deal of respect for the Mayor and her administration for the way theyhandled these negotiations. They did not try to strong arm us as previous administrationshad done but seemed genuinely determined to find a common ground which would satisfyeveryone.We are satisfied with this tentative agreement and are happy that we were able to get tothis point without arbitration and within the same year that the contract came up fornegotiation. The last time this happened was in 1999. I remember Mayor Robinson-Briggsmaking this promise as a part of her campaign agenda and we are truly gratified to see thatshe is a lady of her word.”

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