Ruling allows officers to bolt

SHira Schoenberg reports in the Concord Monitor that state corrections officers are a step closer to breaking away from the State Employees Association.

The Public Employee Labor Relations Board ruled Thursday that the New England Police Benevolent Association can hold a new election, despite objections from the SEA. The corrections officers already voted once to join the NEPBA, but that vote was invalidated by the state Supreme Court. Now they will be able to try again.

"The SEA's objection that the NEPBA election petitions are barred (by state law) is . . . without merit, as are the SEA's remaining arguments against and objections to the conduct of election proceedings in these cases," wrote labor board Chairman Jack Buckley.

Failure to address an issue important to corrections officers was a late snag in the overall contract offer voted on by state employees this week. And the SEA also has its leadership elections coming soon.