Everything he bargained for
Cernek leaves enduring legacy on PBA’ s collective bargaining endeavors
n BY MITCHELL KRUGEL n PHOTOS BY ED CARATTINI JR.
Less than a year into his job with Lacey Township and as a Local 238 member, John Cernek made a move that profoundly elevated his career. And his life. The 35-year-old Cernek snuck into the NJ State PBA Collective Bargaining Seminar under cover of other members from Local 238.
So began a pursuit of research, information and expertise that led Cernek to become one of the foremost labor relations gurus in the history of the State PBA. He made the PERC website his required reading. He devoured arbitrations, court decisions and anything to make him better prepared to negotiate a Local 238 contract that elevated his fellow members’ rights and their lives. And he thrived on being able to offer any Local that asked even a tidbit of information that could improve salary, benefits and work conditions in some small way, shape or form.
After 25-plus years of collective bargaining flowing through his blood and sweat, Cernek shed some tears when he signed off duty at the start of the 31st PBA Collective Bargaining Seminar on Feb. 6. A prolonged standing ovation at the start of the seminar’ s opening session recognized a legacy that furthered some of the PBA’ s most illustrious endowments.
“ John lives and breathes this; this is his second career. Maybe his first, in his heart,” extolled George O’ Brien, the State PBA’ s Labor Relations Consultant who has worked hand-in-hand with Cernek in his role as the union’ s collective bargaining chair for the past four years.
“ If you want to emulate John, step up to the plate and make a contribution,” O’ Brien continues.“ He’ s a doer. He goes out and accomplishes the goal. He’ s not looking for adoration, though he has it from the members. They respect the hell out of him.”
Cernek’ s passion for labor representation ignited pre-law enforcement, when he worked for a trucking company that was a union shop. Corporate restructuring forced him out, along with 60 percent of the workforce, and took away all benefits that had been accrued. He called it legal theft.
“ I decided that no matter what I did, I would never put my fate in somebody else’ s hands and let that happen, if I could do something to prevent it,” Cernek recalled.
In 1977, Cernek was on the list to get hired at the police department in his native Lacey Township. But he turned down the job, and not just because it would have left him with a one-third pay cut.
There was no sunshine at the time regarding pension and benefits. And all decisions were at the will of the chief. As far as labor relations,“ it was the dark ages,” he describes.
Instead, Cernek went to work with the fire department at Great Adventure and wound up serving as president of the International Association of Firefighters unit. He helped that Local win an arbitration, and at the same time, Local 238 was just starting its own arbitration. Cernek helped win that.
So at 34 years and 10 months old, Cernek became a law enforcement officer and member of Local 238. Within a couple of days, he was added to the Local E-Board as vice president. A year later, Cernek became Local president, a position he held until 2007, when he became the Lacey Township State Delegate. Cernek’ s name has been attached to every Lacey Township collective bargaining agreement since 1994.
“ That is absolutely a badge of honor,” he confided.“ I’ m proud that I have been able to always look out for the bigger picture and the good order and future of the bargaining unit.”
As he climbed the ranks of union representation, Cernek ascended to take on some noble positions. He retired as the PBA’ s 10th Vice President and was the final board member PBA Past President Tony Wieners named before retiring in 2014.
Cernek also served as chair of the Ocean County Conference, a position he bequeathed when being asked to fulfill one of the PBA’ s most important roles as Collective Bargaining Committee chair. The Mount Rushmore of that storied rank includes Wieners and Executive Vice President Marc Kovar, who named Cernek as his successor.
“ I’ m honored to be in that company,” he confirmed.“ I live to argue, and by that, I mean negotiate.”
Cernek said that his proclivity for negotiation is rooted in preparation. This is the lesson he most wants to pass on to Locals throughout the PBA.
“ Be prepared, so you know more than the person you are negotiating against,” he detailed.“ You can’ t get buried in a corner if you have the answers. And if you do the research and you know the questions, you can get the upper hand.”
Cernek developed a propensity for holding the upper hand without making negotiation contentious.
“ He had a knack for doing battle with the town,” notes Alan
46 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ FEBRUARY 2018