Bergen County Board Of Social Services Workers Call For Fair Contract

ROCHELLE PARK, NJ —Essential workers at Bergen County's welfare agency are calling on management to negotiate a fair contract with them, Communications Workers of America said.

Bergen County Board of Social Services employees are asking management to give them a raise for every year of their new contract, the union said. Several hundred people marched Thursday in front of the board's headquarters, according to the CWA.

Union employees said they have been trying to reach a compromise with management for 16 months, and said they should be compensated for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep benefits flowing to county residents.

"We are essential workers marching today for a fair and equitable contract," said Dolores Phillips, President of the Communications Workers of America Local 1089. "These men and women out here today worked tirelessly throughout the COVID pandemic serving the most vulnerable members of Bergen County. And we’ve been working without a contract for over a year. We are suffering now due to inflation and the rising cost of basic essentials. The fact that we are not meeting with management is very troubling to us."

County officials did not immediately respond to Patch's request for comment.