Tension rising at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst

http://articles.philly.com/2013-04-06/news/38309736_1_overtime-pay-officers-police-union

Tension rising at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst
By Andrew Seidman, Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted: April 06, 2013

Tense labor relations and a hostile work environment are spreading unrest among the 120 civilian police officers at a military base that spans Burlington and Ocean Counties, the officers allege in more than 60 grievances filed since 2010.

The complaints, reviewed by The Inquirer, range from the mundane — tables and chairs were removed from the officers’ break room in August 2010 — to more serious accusations of verbal and physical assault.

Officers say the sheer volume of complaints — all filed since the Air Force was put in charge of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst when the three bases merged in October 2009 — has sapped morale, with new problems popping up almost daily.

In addition to the officers filing internal complaints, the Fraternal Order of Police New Jersey Labor Council, which represents the police union, said it was in the process of filing grievances alleging unfair labor practices with the National Labor Relations Board.