Union Rally For Morristown Parking Authority Highlighted At Meeting

MORRISTOWN, NJ — The president of a local union representing Morristown Parking Authority employees spoke before the council, accusing the MPA's director of bad-faith bargaining with the union.

Charles Hall Jr. serves as the president of Local 108 of the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union, which represents parking enforcement officers and garage attendants.

Hall told the council that the garage attendants were organized roughly a year ago.

The union is accusing the MPA's new director of engaging in bad-faith bargaining after abruptly announcing that it will be moving to an automated garage with no plans to train or retain unionized public sector workers.

The MPA, according to Hall, could not provide employees with an exact timeline for when the automation would take place, saying it could take anywhere between 60 days and four months. Hall addressed the council with his grievances and stated that union workers, many of whom have worked for the authority for many years, do not know if they will be laid off.

As a result, Hall stated that the union is preparing to file unfair labor practices charges against the MPA for implementing the automation plans after weeks of contract negotiations.

"From the very beginning, one of the most bizarre things I've seen in my 35 years here is that in the public sector, there is a campaign against the union. That just doesn't happen in New Jersey. Well, it happened here in Morristown," Hall said.

Prior to the discussion about automation, Hall claimed that the MPA and its attorney offered union members a wage that was slightly higher than the minimum wage, with minimum wage increases as a compromise. "This is an expensive county; this is an expensive town; this state is expensive, and to move to $15 an hour is not nearly enough for families to live. That is no way to treat people."

He clarified that he and the union members are not opposed to the process of automation but rather the way workers have been treated.

Nicole Fox, the MPA's executive director, was also present at the council meeting and made a statement on the organization's behalf.

Fox asserts that the MPA immediately communicated its plans to automate parking booth attendants and that authority employees who work in garages can move to other positions.

"This has been communicated to the union along with a proposal related to the loss of this position. At no point did I or the MPA engage in unlawful activities and at all times have followed the direction of our labor council," Fox said.

In response, Mayor Tim Dougherty urged both parties to work together to resolve their differences and reach an agreement.

However, according to town attorney David L. Minchello, the mayor and council have no authority over the MPA, an independent body that is governed by a separate commission.

Dougherty encouraged both parties to go before the proper board to air their grievances and get to a common goal.