Local PBA charges twp. with unfair labor practice
Police union claims department treats PBA members 'unfairly'
BY DANIEL HOWLEY Staff Writer

OCEAN TOWNSHIP - The Ocean Township Police Benevolent Association (PBA) Local 57 have filed unfair labor practice (ULP) complaints against the township claiming that members of the union are treated unfairly.

The PBA filed four ULP grievances in 2005 and hearings on the complaints are set to be heard before the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Committee in Trenton.

In the ULPs, the PBA charged that since Antonio Amodio was appointed as chief of the police department in 2005 several changes made within the department are "unfair," according to PBA Local 57 President Bruce Friend said.

"The PBA basically has no problem with department management trying to instate their policies," Friend said. "We do have a problem when changes are made either illegally or are a violation of our contracts," he said.

The PBA filed two ULPs, claiming that two officers have been passed up for promotions because of their affiliation with the union.

The union also filed two more ULPs charging that a shift-changing policy and a midnight shift have been "unfairly" terminated in the department.

The union is seeking that the two police officers receive promotions within the department, according to Friend.

The union is also seeking the reinstatement of the shift switching policy between officers and the reinstatement of a midnight-shift, according to Friend.

"This has been behind the scenes for a while and morale is lousy," Friend said. "This is about the chief running the department and morale running low."

The PBA Local 57 represents approximately 70 officers in the Ocean Township and Allenhurst Police Departments.

Friend explained that in 2005 two township officers were overlooked for promotion because of their association with the local PBA.

Amodio refuted the charge.

"In 2005, two officers said they didn't get promotions because of their affiliation with the union," Amodio said. "Since that time, one of the officers was promoted."

"The other [claims] were filed in 2005 and had to do with an experimental five-officer midnight shift and putting parameters around officers switching shifts," Amodio said.

Amodio said he believes that the current situation between the township and the local PBA is the result of his appointment as chief of police in 2005.

"In 2005 there was a change of management in the police department," Amodio said. "I got promoted to chief and a new captain was promoted and there were issues we wanted to try to deal with to try to make this a more efficient and accountable department.

"We started new programs, filled positions, created new ranks, started new assignments and promoted 19 new officers to rank.

"Unfortunately, with any significant organizational change there is always going to be a certain degree of members that don't agree with the changes that are made.

"That happens, I would think in any organization," he said, adding, "When you have significant changes there are always a certain amount of people that aren't happy with the changes."

Friend said officers are frustrated because they are unable to switch shifts when they have a family or personal obligation.

"Officers used to be able to switch shifts for reasons, such as child care needs," Friend said. "When Amodio became chief, he wanted to put a stop to it, and we feel that is an unfair labor practice."

Amodio explained that shift changes between officers are granted regularly.

"There have been over 200 requests by more than 40 different officers to switch sifts since the incident has been brought up in 2005," Amodio said. "All were approved except one, and that is the basis of the ULP."

Friend gave a presentation before the Ocean Township Council on March 3, claiming that township officers are "frustrated" with the department's administration and are "suffering from low morale."

At the meeting, Friend addressed what the union feels is an "illegal" ticket quota that was introduced in the department.

The so-called ticket quota requires officers to issue 10 driving summonses a month, according to Friend, who said the quota was established by the department's administration.

He added that ticket quotas are illegal in New Jersey.

Amodio said that there is not a ticket quota in the department and explained that the claims of a quota stem from an incident where two officers received warnings for issuing a low amount of summonses a month.

Township officers are evaluated on their performance on a yearly basis, according to Amodio, who explained that over a two-year period the evaluation of two officers showed that they were issuing a below average amount of summonses.

The departmental average is to issue 10 summonses a month and the two officers were averaging 3.5 summonses a month, Amodio said.

Amodio said he issued both officers warnings, which were later withdrawn.

Amodio explained that the warnings were issued based on low performance, but that the warnings could be misconstrued as the officers not complying with a quota.

"I looked at the performance evaluations and saw that they could be misread [as a quota] and immediately rescinded them from the officer's files," Amodio said.

"Our complete intent was to get these officers to increase their performance, and unfortunately the wording in these files was perceived as a quota," he said.