Board rules in favor of Town of Tonawanda over ticket strike

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- The New York State Public Employment Relations Board has ruled in favor of the Town of Tonawanda regarding a three-week ticket strike from police officers in January.

The Town of Tonawanda Police Club had been charged with violating the state's Taylor Law following an investigation that discovered the strike. Officials have said that the strike was a response from the police union after an officer was disciplined. That officer later resigned.

Under the ruling, union members who were accused of participating in the ticket strike will pay "half hour times twice their rate of pay for each day they allegedly were on strike," with the money being withheld from paychecks. The union agreed to a one-month forfeiture of collecting union dues, and the town agreed to form a "Labor Management Committee" that will be comprised of union representatives, town officials, the chief of police and attorneys for both sides.

"We find that the Police Club has violated 210.1 of the Act in that it engaged in a strike as alleged, and we determine that the recommended penalty is a reasonable one in these particular circumstances," the ruling said. "The parties have publicly committed to labor peace and 'to work together for the betterment of the Town' and we take note of the fact that the Town and Police Club approached us with this agreement on their own accord."

"We’re satisfied that PERB found what we’ve been saying all along, and that we handled this properly," Town of Tonawanda Supervisor Joe Emminger said. "We’re eager to put this behind us and continue the strong relationship we have with the police department."

Andy Thompson, president of the Town of Tonawanda Police Club, released the following statement: