WARREN Ranking officers have contract

The pact will cost the city $210,658 over three years.
By AMANDA C. DAVIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The city's ranking police officers have a new three-year contract that outlines 4 percent pay raises each of those years.
City council unanimously approved a fact finder's report Wednesday that outlines terms for the contract, which is retroactive to Feb. 1.
The city and Fraternal Order of Police's Gold Division, covering captains, lieutenants and sergeants, reached an impasse Feb. 15 during contract negotiations.
The matter then went to fact finder Robert C. Devlin of Fairview Park.
Both sides had seven days to approve Devlin's findings or the matter would have gone to conciliation.
Hourly wages: Gary Cicero, the city's human resources director, said the hourly wage for captains in 2000 was $27.30. Their hourly wages during the contract will be $28.39 this year, $29.53 in 2002 and $30.71 in 2003.
Lieutenants in 2000 made $23.74 per hour and during the contract will earn hourly wages of $24.69 this year, $25.68 in 2002 and $26.71 in 2003.
Sergeants made $20.64 per hour last year. They will earn hourly wages of $21.47 this year, $22.33 in 2002 and $23.22 in 2003.
The contract covers three captains, six lieutenants and 15 sergeants. The contract also includes:
*Covered employees will be paid time and one-half for overtime.
*The city pays for their health benefits at a cost of $345 a month for single person and $900 a month for family coverage.
* Shift differential for ranking officers increased by 10 cents, from 35 cents to 45 cents for those working the afternoon shift, and from 40 cents to 50 cents for the midnight shift.
* The city will pay $7 per month for each employee covered by the contract for vision coverage, which ranking officers did not have.
Councilman Alford Novak, D-2nd, said council members had no choice but to approve the fact finder's report, as an arbitrator would likely have ruled in favor of ranking officers.
An arbitrator in the last year ruled that firefighters would receive 4 percent wage increases for the length of their two-year contract, and a fact finder recently recommended the same increase for a two-year contract covering employees of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Ohio Council 8, Local 74.
What it will cost: Novak said city Auditor David Griffing provided council with information during an executive session Wednesday that shows ranking officers' contract will cost the city $210,658 for the length of the contract.
Firefighters' pact will cost the city $279,651 over the two years, and AFSCME's pact will cost $173,331 over two years.
Novak said council is concerned because the city must still negotiate with a few other employee unions, and officials are unsure how the already-strapped general fund will sustain cost increases.
Delphi Automotive Systems recently announced plans to further cut local jobs by offering an early buyout plan for retirement. CSC Ltd. in Champion filed for bankruptcy recently and may close next month.
A loss of income taxes from those jobs will further compound the city's financial troubles, Novak said.