An Ocean County town's plan to save money by imposing furlough days on Department of Public Works (DPW) employees backfires.

An arbritrator ordered Lacey Township officials to pay members of its local Teamsters Union back over $130,000 for 22 days of lost wages from furloughs taken in 2010.

Kevin McGovern
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Teamsters Union Local 97 attorney Kevin McGovern (pictured) says "in this case the cause is attributable to the townships failure to work hand in hand with the union which actually made some suggestions to achieve savings in other ways without having to do furloughs."

In fact, McGovern says their suggestion would have saved the Township more money in the long run. "We said listen, instead of doing furloughs, we offered up longevity payments which would have saved the township a quarter million dollars over the remaining 2 and a half years of the contract. Instead they wanted to save $130,000 in six months.

The township also gave 25 Communications Workers of America (CWA) employees back over $66,000.

McGovern says "in going forward, he hopes the township will be a little more receiptive to the union's cost savings suggestions and more open to working with them as a partnership in trying to do what's best for the people of lacey."

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