[UPDATE] — Sunday, Feb. 16, 4:30 p.m.: On Friday afternoon, First Selectman Toni Boucher sent the following statement:
“We have a special attorney from Berchem Moses who specializes in union contracts that was also on duty during the last administration. This attorney, our HR director, who has been doing this for over 25 years and many administrations, and the town administrator (he was not part of the previous teams as he is new here but has 13 years of experience in Bethel) are in the regular negotiation sessions and reach out to me to keep me and the [police] chief up to date on the items on the table and the progress being made. Most items have already been resolved but any public discussions of contract negotiations are inappropriate. Once terms are reached, the BOS is informed in an executive session which will take place next week. Again, these are issues that should be kept private and not made public until the negotiations are completed just as any contract with the town.”
Editor’s note: Knickerbocker has been in his position since September 2022.
[UPDATE] — Friday, Feb. 14, 6 p.m.: This evening, Town Administrator Matt Knickerbocker replied to questions GMW emailed him earlier in the day, before the town released an official statement in response to the Police Union’s arbitration announcement. We had asked for comments on what the union had presented and highlighted several specific statements in their press release.
Knickerbocker said he couldn’t comment on much, because while Town officials “would like to respond with specific replies to the inaccurate description of the status of negotiations, as a matter of policy and sound business practice we will not engage in ‘negotiating in the press.’ Therefore, we cannot comment beyond the response in the attached press release.”
However, in response to a question about the Board of Selectmen’s knowledge of the status of negotiations, Knickerbocker denied any suggestion by the union that the Town had walked away from the bargaining table. “At no time has the Town negotiating team closed the door; we are willing to entertain any and all counter-proposals the Union may care to offer to settle the few unresolved items.”
He also elaborated on First Selectman Toni Boucher’s role. “Also, the First Selectman is kept fully apprised but is typically never ‘at the table’ during negotiations.”
His answer as to whether the members of the Board of Selectmen know about the status of negotiations with the Police Union described what they’ve been told.
“The Board of Selectmen was advised during this week’s budget process that the negotiations were likely headed to arbitration. A few more important points: The BOS as a whole is not involved during negotiations; when an agreement is reached by the negotiating teams, then the BOS is apprised and will vote on the contract,” Knickerbocker wrote.
[ORIGINAL STORY] BREAKING NEWS — Friday, Feb. 14, 4 p.m.: In response to this morning’s news release from the Wilton Police Union saying contract negotiations with the Town of Wilton broke down because the town stopped negotiating, town officials released their own statement, calling the union’s move “unfortunate.”
“It is unfortunate that our Union officials have decided to ‘try their case in public’ by issuing their statement to [GOOD Morning Wilton] prior to allowing the collective bargaining process to conclude,” the statement read. It was issued by Town Administrator Matt Knickerbocker.
In contrast, Knickerbocker said the town has not refused to negotiate.
“The decision to proceed to arbitration does not preclude the ability to continue discussions with the Union. The Town is not refusing to negotiate, our doors remain open,” he wrote.
The police union’s statement asserted it was town officials who described the state of negotiations as “at an impasse.” While Knickerbocker acknowledged the Town and the Union might not have been able to resolve their differences, they are still engaged in the collective bargaining process.
“State law provides an effective process that municipalities and unions can access when they have been unable to reach a resolution during collective bargaining. The Town and the Union continue to follow that process,” Knickerbocker wrote.
Knickerbocker also wrote that the town and union had mutually agreed to engage a state mediator to help them resolve any differences.
“Although compromise was achieved on many of the proposals, the parties remained too far apart to resolve all of them, and are proceeding to the next step of the collective bargaining process, which is arbitration,” Knickerbocker wrote.
At issue for the Wilton police union members is a claim that the Wilton Police Department does not offer benefits and equitable working conditions comparable to other towns, something they say impacts officer recruitment and retention.
“Wilton PD has fallen behind in benefits and equitable working conditions, which has resulted in a prolonged shortage of staff, dwindling officer morale and fewer applications. This shortage puts a strain on officers, increases the risk of burnout, and significantly impacts their ability to deliver the level of public safety the community deserves,” the union statement said.
The police union’s press release also singled out First Selectman Toni Boucher for not taking part in the negotiating process, saying that she “has been unwilling to join in any negotiation talks, in stark contrast to former First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice who worked with the union during successful negotiations in 2021,” the statement said.
Knickerbocker reinforced Boucher’s “unwavering support” and said she has been “instrumental” in the Town’s effort to come to an agreement.
“With the support of the First Selectman, the Town’s negotiations team is committed to reaching an agreement with the Union that provides compensation, benefits and working conditions commensurate with the value of the services Union members provide to the Town residents, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The First Selectman is unwavering in her support of this objective. She has been instrumental in the Town’s efforts to present competitive proposals to the Union,” Knickerbocker wrote.
He also wrote to reassure town citizens that the issue of contract negotiations will have no impact on their safety.
“Furthermore, Town administration remains resolute in its commitment to the safety and well-being of the public. Wilton residents can be assured that the Wilton Police Department Administration and the Wilton Police Commission closely monitor police services that are delivered to the town and have no evidence of a reduction in those services due to staffing,” he wrote.
The officials who represented the town during the negotiations included Knickerbocker, Wilton Human Resources Director Sarah Taffel, Police Chief Tom Conlan and Bercham Moses PC attorney Chris Hodson.
The Wilton Police Union representatives were AFSCME Council 4 staff representative John Miller, Union President Sgt. Frank Razzaia, Union VP Ofc. Malcolm Hayes, Sgt. Timothy Fridinger, Sgt. Mark Canepari and Det. Matthew Cisewski.
Since GOOD Morning Wilton broke the story this morning, it has been reposted on social media by multiple police unions from surrounding towns voicing their support for Wilton officers, including Norwalk Police Association, Darien Police Association and Stamford Police Association. All of them also extended offers to apply for their departments if they were not happy in Wilton.
An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of Wilton Police Union President Sgt. Frank Razzaia. It has been corrected.