Asked if wage increases could be granted to offset rising health care costs, the governor answered, 'No chance.'
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie speaks at a press conference at the Statehouse in this May file photo.TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie and the state's largest public employee unions disagree about the progress of negotiations for a new contract to replace the existing one that expires Thursday night.
Christie is clear about one thing. When asked on New Jersey 101.5's Ask the Governor program if wage increases could be granted to offset rising health care costs, the governor answered, "No chance."
Christie said his office has made offers on a number of issues and not received response from the unions, including some "economic" issues, a description normally given to wage changes and fringe benefits.
"That's totally untrue," said Bob Master, state government relations director for the Communications Workers of America, which represents the majority of employees with expiring contracts. "He has been dragging his feet at the bargaining table waiting for the outcome of the pension and benefit legislation. We have responded and are prepared to bargain intensely at any time "
During testimony on the benefits legislation, union leaders told lawmakers that Christie offered a 3.5 percent cut in pay and the elimination of all step increases for the entirety of the four-year contract.
"There has been no conclusion met yet about what we're going to do with wages," Christie said when asked on the radio program. "We've put forward a position on salary terms that we believe is consistent with the economic times and competitive with what's going on around the country."
The existing contract expires Thursday night at midnight, but it's a soft deadline and negotiations could stretch on for months. Christie signed the pension and benefit legislation today, which will force all public employees to pay more for health and pension benefits.
Meetings about the new contracts between Christie and the various unions, including CWA and a handful of others, started later than in previous rounds of negotiations. The offer that included cutting pay was made in May, when debate over the health and pension bill was already heating up.
Previous coverage:
• Gov. Chris Christie signs N.J. public worker pension overhaul bill
• N.J. employee unions face new battle over possible pay cuts, now without benefits as bargaining chip
• Gov. Christie, state employees union begin bargaining over health benefits
• Christie, unions spar over history of skipping collective bargaining to change health benefits
• After NJEA, Christie's next fight is with state workers as contracts come up for renewal