2018 NJ STATE PBA
Collective Bargaining Seminar
Meet the new collective
bargaining boss
Mike Freeman is fully aware.
The Summit Local 55 State Delegate knows that the recent
lineage of the PBA’s Collective Bargaining Committee chair goes
from Past President Tony Wieners to Executive Vice President
Marc Kovar to the recently retired Lacey Township Local 238
State Delegate John Cernek.
“They were very good at what they did,” recognized Freeman
as he took the reins of the Collective Bargaining Seminar this
year. “I have been coming here for 21 years, as a matter of fact.
I’ve seen it grow to something I’m proud to be a part of. I hope
I can carry it on.”
Freeman knows that seminar attendance approached 500
this year and that aspirations for 2019 are even bigger.
“Hopefully we can get it to 600 people,” he confirmed. “Since
we haven’t been able to negotiate seriously the past eight years
and now we’re able to do that this year, next year there is going
to be a lot more information we’re able to give out and get peo-
ple to understand what is possible again.”
As he found a minute to catch his breath midway through
the 2018 seminar, Freeman offered a quick pitch to members to
start planning for the 2019 edition.
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NEW JERSEY COPS
■ FEBRUARY 2018
New PBA Collective Bargaining Committee Chair Mike Freeman (left) takes
the handoff from retiring chair John Cernek.
“Members need to understand there is a new way to do
things, and we’re going to be able to show them what that is,” he
explained. “People have to understand there are some obstacles
we have to overcome. But we’re here to teach them how to do
that collectively.” d