Tiny Union vs Big County

[[email protected]]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New Jersey

Greetings all. I am hoping to throw some info out here and see if there are any people with experience with it or who can offer up some advice and point us in a good direction.
We are a small civilian officer unit of a sheriff's department who have been under the PBA contract for bargaining purposes by order of PERC for 30 years. Recently, the new head of our local decided to petition to remove us from the union based on our civilian status. Long story short, PERC decided that they had to uphold their request. We were removed from the union.
We (5) five people were on our own, so we formed our own union and had it validated by PERC. We have just begun negotiations with the county.

We submitted a contract with all the same terms on a much more conservative scale. They rejected it and eliminated all we've had for 30 years and replaced it with county policy and a pay grade not using the steps we were on (even at a lower rate) and eliminated our longevity and changed our work day to include an unpaid lunch.

Are these changes legit? Can 30 years of past practice be dismissed like that? We were hired under certain terms and conditions, and they are simply gone?

 

[xylene]

We submitted a contract with all the same terms on a much more conservative scale. They rejected it and eliminated all we've had for 30 years and replaced it with county policy and a pay grade not using the steps we were on (even at a lower rate) and eliminated our longevity and changed our work day to include an unpaid lunch.

So when they did this did you strike?


---

Just to be clear I'm not necessarily advocating a strike, BUT a union derives its power from organized labor and job actions. Get allies. Get PR.

If you aren't striking, when off duty you could picket

"WORKING WITHOUT A CONTRACT FOR THE SAKE OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY"

 

[tranquility]

Yes, you don't have a contract. While some things may already have been earned, the times are changing. New Jersey is about bankrupt and there is little money available. I would be very careful about striking as, having a job is better than not having a job and the county may find your services are no longer required.