MIDDLEBURY—Public service workers in Middlebury are welcoming a series of decisions by a state arbitrator in their yearlong dispute with town officials over disruptive healthcare modifications forced without negotiations. The Connecticut Department of Labor's State Board of Mediation and Arbitration issued three awards Friday finding that the town did violate its collective bargaining agreements when switching their employees' previous "point-of-service" plans to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) in July 2009.

"A year ago, we told officials that we were willing to be part of the solution to the economic crisis," Tracy Graziano, the Parks and Recreation Department's secretary, said. "With these decisions, we can focus on maintaining vital services without balancing the budget on the backs of working families," Graziano, the president of the CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 chapter representing Middlebury Town Hall and other municipal workers, said.

Arbitration hearings were held last Wednesday over the dispute, which dates back to May 2009 when town officials announced their intention to unilaterally switch Middlebury public employees' health insurance plans. The changes were effective on July 1, 2009 at the same time that the contract for members of the CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 chapter representing sworn officers in the Middlebury Police Department expired. Members of the Union's other two chapters had collective bargaining agreements in force when the HSA plans were implemented.

"We warned the town not to go down this road a year ago," Al Cronin, a veteran Middlebury Police officer, said. "It's too bad that they wouldn't listen to us then. Now that the 'chicken has come home to roost,' we can only hope that elected officials will respect our voices in the future," Cronin, the president of the Union's chapter representing the department's officers, said.

Union members have consistently spoken out over the past year about the risks of forcing Middlebury's municipal workforce into risky HSAs. While the independent arbitrator's decisions uphold their position that town officials and their advisors violated their collective bargaining agreements, the consequences could be costly. Members of CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 are reviewing the awards and plan to remain committed to real solutions that help Middlebury face its uncertain economic future.

CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 represents 25,000 active and retired public sector workers serving in state and municipal agencies, as well as local school districts across Connecticut. Visit www.seiu2001.org online for more information about how the Union's members are working to support quality public services for our children, our families, and our communities.

 State Board of Mediation and Arbitration Awards