Two more county unions have agreed to tentative contracts with Westchester County that for the first time include employee contributions to the cost of their health care, County Executive Robert P. Astorino announced. 

The contracts with the District Attorney's Investigators Police Benevolent Association and the Superior Officer's Unit of the Department of Public Safety Police Benevolent Association would bring to seven the number of county unions that have agreed to make health-care contributions. The only holdout is the county's largest union, the Civil Service Employees Association.

"These agreements are in the best interests of our taxpayers and of the union members," said Astorino, who upon taking office in 2010 immediately initiated legislation for nonunion managers – including himself – to contribute to their health care costs. "I thank Eddie O'Rourke, the president of the DA Investigators union, and Mike Hagan, the representative of the police union, for their hard work to reach these agreements. Again, I urge the CSEA to accept a contract where they, like every other employee in the county, contribute to the cost of their health care."

The new tentative contracts have been sent to the Board of Legislators for approval. The contracts have previously been ratified by the two unions.
The proposed terms of the contracts include the following:

DA INVESTIGATORS (about 30 members)

  • The contract with the DA investigators is for seven years, retroactive to Jan. 1, 2009. It provides a salary increase of 3 percent in 2009; 2.75 percent in 2010; and 2.5 percent in each of the remaining five years.
  • Effective Jan. 1, 2014, all employees will contribute 12.5 percent towards the costs of their health insurance costs. This amount will go up to 13 percent the following year. Employees hired after August 31, 2013 will continue to contribute toward health care costs upon their retirement.
  • The proposal includes changes in longevity, clothing allowance and shift differentials.

PBA SUPERIOR OFFICERS (about 25 members)

  • The contract with the Superior Officer's Unit is for six years, retroactive to Jan. 1, 2009. The salary increases are the same as the increases previously approved for the rank and file members of the Police Benevolent Association: 3 percent for 2009; 2.75 percent for 2010; and 2.5 percent for each year 2011 to 2014.
  • All members will contribute to their health care at rates consistent to what was previously negotiated with the rank and file PBA members. For 2013 this amounts to $1,109 for an individual and $3,081 for a family plan.
  • Upon retirement, there will continue to be a contribution for health care for new hirers.
  • The proposal includes changes in longevity, clothing allowance and shift differentials

Previously, contracts have been settled with the, Teamsters Local 456 (which represents some middle managers), the Correction Officers, the Corrections Superior Officers Association, the PBA and the New York State Nurses Association.

The CSEA's last contract expired on Dec. 31, 2011.