POLICE PACT | Columbiana

Key items of the contract between Columbiana and the sergeants, dispatchers and patrolmen in its police department. The three-year contract is retroactive to Jan. 1.
WAGES
(Starting and top wages at per-hour rates)
Dispatchers, from $10.09 to $10.84 for 2002, $11.34 in 2003 and $12.19 in 2004; and from $11.68 to $12.43 for 2002, $12.93 in 2003 and $13.68 in 2004.
Patrolmen will receive a 3.2 percent raise in the base pay each year of the contract. Patrolmen's wages (including longevity pay) for patrolmen now active will increase from $12.77 currently to $13.22 for the first year under the new contract for lowest-paid, and from $19.15 currently to $20.78 for the highest-paid patrolman.
Sergeants will receive base pay increases of 2.5 percent the first year, 3 percent the second year and 3.5 percent the third year. Including longevity pay, wages for two sergeants now active will increase from $19.27 and $21.50 to $22.16 and $22.89 for the first year of the new contract.
HOLIDAYS
Increase from 10 to 12 paid holidays, adding Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Columbus Day.
DUES DEDUCTION
Employees in the bargaining units either voluntarily join the union or pay a fair-share fee to the union that is roughly equal to union dues.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Employees will continue with the same health insurance plan they now have through June 2003. On Jan. 1, 2003, prescription deductibles will increase from the current $2 per prescription to $5 for generic drugs and $12 nongeneric. Starting in June 2003, employees will pick up through payroll deduction half the cost of any excess increase over 10 percent. The city picks up the first 10 percent of any annual increase in premium cost.
VACATION
Employees will receive paid vacations with one week after one year and two weeks after two years, as they have previously. Employees will now receive three weeks after seven years rather than after 10 years, and four weeks after 13 years rather than after 15 years. Additionally, any employee with 20 years of service or more will receive five weeks of paid vacation.
SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL
Shift differential will increase from 10 cents per hour for second shift and 15 cents per hour for third shift to 25 cents per hour for second shift and 35 cents per hour for third shift.