New London police union approves proposed contract By Greg Smith Publication: theday Published September 19. 2014 New London — By a 4-to-1 margin, police union members on Friday approved a proposed three-year contract with the city that calls for a phased series of raises and an extra day off every two weeks. Local police union President Todd Lynch said the vote was 40 to 10. The tentative agreement, signed by Lynch and Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio last week, has yet to go before the City Council. The union has requested the agreement be presented at the next council meeting. The agreement will cost the city an extra $425,000 for the current fiscal year and require approval of a line item transfer to cover this year’s cost. The city estimates it will cost slightly more than $450,000 in the next fiscal year, a number that will vary depending on the size of the police force at that time. Finizio has said the phased series of raises through 2016, along with a measure to curtail large payouts after retirement, helps to avoid major blows to the city budget. The proposed raises include two 1 percent raises in the current fiscal year and two 1.5 percent raises by Jan. 1, 2016. Officers will not get a raise for fiscal year 2013-14 that went by without a signed contract. Officers will also get an extra day off every two weeks thanks to a provision in the proposed deal that calls for a schedule of five days on and two days off, followed by five days on and three days off. Deputy Police Chief Peter Reichard, who is acting chief during the suspension of Chief Margaret Ackley, is preparing the police budget and said the $425,000 estimated costs for this fiscal year consist mostly of salaries and extra money to cover shifts when officers are off. While officers have an extra day off, the administrative staff, or those working a Monday through Friday work schedule, have the option of a floating day off every month. They can either take the day off or decide to be paid overtime for the extra day, according to the proposed contract. The proposed contract adds an extra step grade for detectives with an accompanying pay raise that is midway between detective and sergeant. With the city expected to announce the hiring of several new recruits in the coming days, the proposed agreement stipulates that any new hire that leaves for another police department within three years has to reimburse the city for costs associated with their training. Lynch said he was proud of the overwhelming support of the proposed agreement but said he would also look to revisit issues that caused members to vote against the contract. “We’re all on the same team,” he said.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 20:53:26 +0000
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