Dear COBA Members;

Over the past few days COBA has learned once again of rumors related to the recently negotiated longevity agreement. These rumors relate to comparisons between COBA, the 3 Police Unions and CSEA.

To be clear, there are 5 different Unions in Nassau County that have different language governing how we all get paid different items in our contracts. Under the new longevity agreement each union will receive longevity payments after 6 years of completed service in their respective Units of employment. This matches the previous longevity agreements, prior to the freeze in 2011.

The following are rumors that have been circulating and we hope that this email will answer the questions raised.

The new rumors circulating are related to a few issues including:

1.) Why do the PD unions get their longevity spread out over their paychecks

throughout the year, while COBA and CSEA get a one time lump sum payment?

2.) Rumors that the terms of the agreement differ from union to union and that

percentages of gains and concessions are different for all the unions.

3.) Rumors that the PD Unions get all their longevity restored at retirement and

COBA and CSEA do not.

Answers:

1.) The manner in which each respective Union receives their longevity pay is outlined in each Collective Bargaining Agreement and remains unchanged under this new agreement. The 3 Police Union's longevity pay is very similar to each other, and is paid equally in their paychecks over the course of a year.

COBA and CSEA's longevity is identical to each other and is paid in a lump sum, on or about March 31st of each year.

2.) The terms of the Longevity Agreement are identical for each Nassau Union.

It is one document signed by all Unions. Each Union's respective longevity payments will be restored at 72.22% of their old charts, and each Union will receive 50% of the retro owed back to January of 2018, using the old unfrozen rates as if the freeze had never occurred.

3.) Any rumor that some unions get full restoration of longevity monies at retirement, while others do not, are completely false and made-up. There are also rumors that some unions are getting full restoration of longevity back to 2011. This is patently false. Longevity for 2011 through the end of 2017 was lost in the NIFA Wage Freeze Lawsuit that we fought all the way to the US Supreme Court.

Moving Forward:

To help understand actual longevity numbers by your year of hire, we have put together a chart of your actual numbers dating back to 1983, which covers all current COBA Members.

This chart shows:

1.) The frozen rate of longevity since the Wage Freeze in 2011.

2.) Then it shows what you would have received had we not been frozen in 2018, 19, and 20.

3.) Then, the new unfrozen rate under the new agreement.

4.) Then, the actual amount of retro you are entitled to under the new agreement.

There is also a example of a random year for illustration purposes.

See below for the chart and the example.

Example:

A COBA Member whose longevity date was 1998, received $725 (Frozen Rate) for 2018,2019, 2020 and 2021. Those Payments Total $2,900.

Under the proposed M.O.A. regarding longevity, that same Member would be due retroactive payment for 50% of the difference of what they received and what they would have received had there not been a wage freeze.

In this example those amounts for 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 Total $12,300.

$12,300 - $2,900 already received = $9400

50% of $9400 = $4700 Retro Pymt

This same Members New Unfrozen Longevity Amount, Payable on 3/31/22 for years of service as of 12/31/21 would be $2636.

In Unity;

The COBA Executive Board