Raising the Bargaining
Mike Freeman has brought his infectious energy to the PBA’s
collective bargaining efforts and its Collective Bargaining Seminar
■ BY MITCHELL KRUGEL
Sitting in on his first collective bargaining negotiation for
Summit Local 55 in 1997, Mike Freeman realized a calling that
could eventually benefit hundreds, if not thousands of NJ State
PBA members. The town had proposed a split raise for Summit
officers. A split what? Did that mean Local 55 members would
have to split the difference in the increase they were seeking?
Freeman translated the offer to help his members under-
stand that splitting the 4-percent raise was not splitting hairs.
He explained that taking 2 percent in January and another 2
percent in July would actually be a 4.06-percent increase and
create more pensionable money. And, it would be a savings to
the town.
So it was that a split decision led Mike Freeman on the path
to inheriting the PBA’s renowned and vital position of Collective
Bargaining Coordinator. Taking the baton from the legendary
George O’Brien this past August, Freeman has proven to be the
right man for the job – the member who could elevate the PBA’s
vaunted Collective Bargaining Seminar even beyond its lofty
level – since back in 1997, when he walked into his first PBA Col-
lective Bargaining Committee meeting.
“That meeting is not exactly a lot of fun. It’s a lot of work,”
explains NJSPBA Executive Vice President Marc Kovar, who was
the Collective Bargaining Committee chair when Freeman first
walked in. “A lot of members come for a meeting or two, then
don’t come back. Mike was always the first one in and stayed to
the end. He had that extra interest and understanding, and you
CONTINUED ON PAGE 40
32nd annual NJ State PBA Collective Bargaining Seminar
Tuesday, Feb. 5
• 1-1:50 p.m. Legal Update & Regulatory Issues, Paul Kleinbaum
• 2-2:50 p.m. “Me First Policing,” Peter Paris
• 3-3:50 p.m. Fair Labor Standards Act, Merick Limsky
and Marcia Mitolo
• 4-4:30 p.m. Negotiating “Outside of the Box,” Part 1
Wednesday, Feb. 6
• 9-9:50 a.m. Navigating Arbitration & Civil Service, Bob Fagella
• 10-11:15 a.m. Financial Analysis/Muni Budgets, Ray Caprio
and Marc Pfeiffer
• 11:25 a.m.-noon, Workers’ Compensation Law, David Lande
• 1-2 p.m. Retirement & Disability Pensions (Tier 1 & 2),
Chris Gray and Peter Andreyev
• 2:10-3 p.m. Health Benefi ts, David Beckett and Kevin Lyons
• 3:10-4:30 p.m. Mock Internal Affairs, Stuart Alterman
and Arthur Murray
Thursday, Feb. 7
• 9-10 a.m. Preparations for the Negotiations Process, Frank Crivelli
• 10:15-10:50 a.m. Negotiating “Outside of the Box,” Part 2
• 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. PERC & Mediation (with cost-out exercises),
Mary Beth Hennessy-Shotter
• 1-2:45 p.m. Grievance Arbitration Panel, Jim Mets (moderator),
Jim Mastriani
• 3-4:30 p.m. Grievance Arbitration Panel, Brian Kronick, Alfred Peters
www.njcopsmagazine.com
■ JANUARY 2019 39