Mayor Vetoes Police Patrolmen's Union Contract

Mayor Donnalee Lozeau vetoed the aldermen’s recent approval of a multiyear police contract, citing fairness to other city employees and a provision that allows about 40 percent of the Nashua Police Patrolmen’s union to use accrued sick or vacation time to repay a portion of their health care premiums.

According to Insurance News Net, The contract, a seven-year agreement from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2018, includes a clause that permits 57 of the 137 bargaining unit members to use the accrued pay to satisfy a newly provision that requires union members to retroactively pay a higher share of their premiums. It gives bargaining unit members salary increases that range from 0.7 percent the first year to 3.6 percent in fiscal 2015, with an average increase of 2.4 percent a year over the life of the pact.

The Board of Aldermen, against Lozeau’s wishes, approved the contract 13-2 at its Sept. 10 meeting. They are scheduled to take up Lozeau’s veto next week.

Image via Shutterstock