Nassau Notebook: CSEA Lawsuit, Nassau Jail Leasing Cells

The following is a look back at some of the top stories in Nassau County over the past week:

CSEA Files Lawsuit Against County, NIFA

Members of CSEA Nassau Local 830, representing 6,500 Nassau County employees, are not happy about the pay freeze imposed by the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, and they're heading to federal court to fight it.

“We believe that we are entitled to the contractual benefits that we negotiated," said Jerry Laricchiuta, president of CSEA Local 830. "This freeze causes an unfathomable hardship for all of our members. This includes immediate harm to those expecting an upcoming step increase in pay that they will not be receiving.”
 
The lawsuit was filed in United States District Court (Eastern District) under direction of Larrichiuta and Danny Donohue, president of the Civil Service Employees Association. CSEA officials claim that the wage freeze violate the union's contractual and due process rights under the United States Constitution.

Mangano's office declined comment, while NIFA officials did not return a call for comment as of the posting of this article.

The wage freeze was imposed by NIFA at the request of Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, who estimates the decision will lead to roughly $10 million in savings. This is part of a larger plan by the county to close a $176-million budget deficit cited by NIFA.

Nassau Jail to House Suffolk Inmates

The Nassau County Correctional Facility in East Meadow is currently housing Suffolk inmates, and officials say the jail will be getting even more in the near future.

Nassau will reportedly receive about $4.6 million per year for every 100 cells it leases for Suffolk inmates. The jail was given the okay after the state determined that the facility had addressed many of the violations cited in previous years.

The Nassau jail is operating at 75 percent capacity, while both Suffolk jails — Yaphank and Riverhead — are overpopulated.