Managers and department heads at Duxbury Town Hall including Police Chief Mark DeLuca are seeking to form a union, the Clipper has learned.

The Duxbury Professional Employees Association (DPEA) as the new group is called, is led by DeLuca and Library Director Elaine Winquist, according to a former employee involved with the process.

Negotiations are ongoing between an attorney representing the new employee association and a labor attorney hired by the town. At least one hearing has already been held before a state labor relations board. Another is scheduled for early next month.

Efforts to reach Winquist and DeLuca were not immediately successful.

Selectman Andre Martecchini confirmed Thursday that negotiations were ongoing, but said he could not offer more details because any discussion about the matter could be considered an unfair labor practice.

“I wish I could comment,” Martecchini said.

Town Manager Richard MacDonald said he could not comment on the matter for the same reasons.

Town hall employees reached on Thursday were reluctant to talk on the record.

“I have very mixed emotions about it. I have a lot of respect for town manager and the selectmen, but there are big problems with the salary schedules,” said one manager who works at town hall but did not want his name used.

“We have a long history of working together. I see this as pulling us all apart,” the manager said. “We are in a position now where we can’t even talk without getting in hot water. It’s a terrible situation…We all have to tip-toe around.”

In addition to a long-delayed update to the personnel bylaw, issues cited by employees centered around inadequate raises and concerns about job security.

The number of affected employees is said to be 52, which includes department heads and so-called middle managers, as well as most other town hall employees who are not already members of the town’s clerical union.

According to the former employee, a vote was taken at an offsite meeting and the “strong majority” of those present were in favor of the union. The association has since hired an attorney to represent them.

“The association looked at all different options and felt this was the way to go,’ the former employee said. He stressed that the members of the association were “upfront and honest” with town leaders about their intentions. “We were real mellow about it. This is something we have every legal right to do.”

Other town officials had mixed feelings about the possibility of managers belonging to a union.

James MacNab, an elected member of the Board of Assessors, agreed that the town needed a “little shove” to get the personnel plan updated, but said he was concerned that employees might be more beholden union than the board they work for.

“We will lose our authority as a board. Every year we do a performance review and that would be a moot point,” he said.

This is a developing story. More information will be posted as it becomes available.