A Long Island branch of the Civil Service Employees Association has obtained a federal court injunction against a Nassau County law that would have let the county executive alter contracts with public employees to save $40 million.

While there is debate over the significance of the temporary injunction Judge Arthur Spatt granted Monday, it’s also the latest dispute between cash-strapped governments and public-sector unions landing in court.

At issue is a law passed this year by the Nassau County Legislature giving County Executive Edward Mangano wide authority to achieve the savings.

County employees, including police, would have to contribute toward their health-care coverage, Mangano said when the law passed. The public employees currently don’t make contributions toward premiums.

Unions, represented by CSEA, went to federal court contending the move was unconstitutional because it violated a contract. The labor contracts in the county run through 2015.

“This ruling should send a strong message that politicians can’t just ignore contracts because it’s more convenient than acting in good faith,” CSEA President Danny Donohue said after the ruling.

Donohue was the plaintiff in the suit.

“He would have been allowed to break contracts,” CSEA spokesman Stephen Madarasz said, describing the new power given Mangano. Political leaders in other municipalities might have tried to do the same had the law gone unchallenged, Madarasz added.

But one expert who follows the issue said the law in Nassau County was flawed and was probably done for appearances…..

Read article here