Jersey City cop union loses appeal of arbitrator's award

JERSEY CITY -- Jersey City's police officer union has lost its appeal of an Oct. 4 arbitrator's decision that awarded a four-year contract with the city that the union loathes.

In a 36-page decision issued yesterday, the state Public Employment Relations Commission dismissed the union's eight critiques of the arbitrator's award, which granted the city almost all of its demands. The commissioners' report says they agree with the arbitrator's analysis of the city's and union's claims regarding the contract dispute and declined to reverse any of his decisions.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... ppeal_of_arbitrators.html

Jersey City, police union at impasse over new contract

Jersey City has declared an impasse in contract negotiations with the city's police officers union, further straining relations between the 900-officer police force and Mayor Steve Fulop.

The city's contract with the Jersey City Police Officers Benevolent Association expired in December and, according to a letter the POBA sent its members on Monday, the city told state officials that it wants an arbitrator to resolve the dispute.

The city's decision, which the union has likened to Gov. Chris Christie's actions during the recent state government shutdown, comes as police leadership is under fire by rank-and-file officers and the force is facing two investigations involving federal prosecutors.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... passe_over_new_contr.html