CWA Local 1036 has been without a contract for over a year, president says
The leader of a labor union representing more than 50 municipal employees has urged Burlington Township Council to settle a longstanding contract dispute.
Communication Workers of America Local 1036 represents police dispatchers, clerical workers and blue collar employees and has been operating without a contract since the end of 2016, according to union president Adam Liebtag.
“At this point, we need the mayor and council to take action because it is within your control to settle this contract,” Liebtag said during the May 22 Township Council meeting.
“If you don’t then — this isn’t a threat, it is a fact — the township and the union will spend more money through litigation and controversy and fact-finding than if we just settled the contract right now,” he added.
Township Administrator Walter Corter said the Council did not take any action on the contract after the topic was discussed in closed session, which followed the regular meeting.
A group of township employees represented by the union showed up for the public portion of the meeting.
“We know you’re a hard-working group as well, and we thank you for coming out,” Councilwoman Patricia “Trish” Siboczy said.
Liebtag said the union and the township have recently had two contract mediation sessions, including one May 22 prior to the Council meeting. He said there are only one or two sticking points left to settle.
“We’re not here in an adversarial way,” Liebtag told Council. “We’ve narrowed the issues significantly in the last two mediation sessions.”
He also said the employees who are represented by the union are stakeholders in the township’s success and members of the community.
“You can’t operate this town without our workforce, and they step up and do a good job every single day,” Liebtag said.
“The union has reached the point where we’re done,” he added. “We can’t give anymore, and we’re not asking for anything more except for the council to step forward and resolve this contract.”
In other news:
· Township Council gave preliminary approval May 22 for a five-year tax abatement agreement with a development company planning to build a warehouse on Commerce Drive.
The planned 97,500-square-foot warehouse would create an estimated 60 permanent jobs and have a positive impact on the township’s tax base, according to the ordinance.
Township construction official Michael Wright said May 22 that crews are planning to start building the foundation for the property in a week or two.
A representative from Exeter Property Group, the firm looking to develop the land, made a presentation to Township Council last month in an attempt to secure the agreement. The company, which is based in Conshohocken, Pa., has developed two warehouses nearby and has owned the Commerce Drive property for about 10 years.
The proposed tax abatement agreement is scheduled for a public hearing and final vote at Township Council’s June 12 meeting.
· Three new Burlington Township police officers were sworn in.
Officers Katelyn Fleming, Ryan O’Farrell and Christopher Zier officially joined the department and were sworn in by Mayor Brian Carlin.
“You are in a service-oriented field,” Public Safety Director Bruce Painter told the new officers. “You are here to serve the residents that pay your salaries.”
“Keep moving forward with open eyes and open minds, and you’ll be fine,” he added.
Painter also presented awards to a number of police officers who participated in significant investigations and arrests over the last year.
Officer Melody Correa received the officer of the year award.
