ALBANY (AP) -- The first labor contract proposal negotiated by the Cuomo administration, which called it a model for other unions for its pay freeze and concessions in hard fiscal times, has been rejected by the union's members, the administration confirmed Tuesday.
Council 82 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees rejected the proposal by a margin of more than 2-to-1. The union represents about 1,000 State University of New York police, park police, environmental conservation officers and forest rangers.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo had hoped the tentative deal would pave the way for pay freezes and other concessions by larger unions now in negotiations. He is counting on union concessions to avoid or limit thousands of layoffs in the 2011-12 budget, which addresses a $10 billion deficit.
He said in April the tentative agreement would help put New York "on the road to recovery."
At the time, the union's leaders tentatively agreed to pay freezes, the elimination of automatic "step" increases in pay for years of service, and greater contributions to health care in the three-year deal.
But Council 82 also faces a challenge by a group of members called the Police Benevolent Association of New York State who hope to lead the union members. The PBA group, a new union, continues to collect signatures from Council 82 members seeking to switch unions, said Dan DeFedericis, the head of the new PBA group and the ex-president of the state troopers union.
"They are being represented poorly," DeFedericis said. "This contract negotiation was negotiated behind their backs."
DeFedericis said that because of the de-certification that he said has the signatures of nearly 650 of 1,000 members, Council 82's leadership can't negotiate a new contract with Cuomo.
A de-certification vote might not be scheduled for three months. But DeFedericis said the threat of layoffs because Cuomo would have to delay any negotiated cost savings is not greater now because Council 82 failed to secure a no-layoff clause from the administration.
Cuomo spokesman Josh Vlasto said state negotiators will return to the table and try to work out another agreement with Council 82's leaders. Vlasto wouldn't comment on the de-certification effort by the PBA of New York State.
Council 82 hasn't responded to requests for comment made Monday and Tuesday.
One of the state's largest unions, the 56,000-member Public Employees Federation, said it had previously rejected similar concessions sought by the Cuomo administration.
"It is unfair to ask any employee, public or private sector, to absorb a long-term wage freeze while making permanent cost shifts in benefits to address what is a short-term problem," said PEF union President Ken Brynien. The members of Council 82 have said as much in their vote.
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