Fact finder hears sides in city, union dispute

YOUNGSTOWN — Officials with the city and its police patrol officers union presented their sides to a fact finder after negotiations failed to produce a contract.

The city and the Youngstown Police Association, which represents 117 patrol officers, have 32 unresolved contract issues, said Edward Colon, the union’s president.

Of those, 19 are “major issues,” including salary, medical coverage and residency requirements, he said.

City Law Director Iris Torres Guglucello declined to comment Friday on the fact-finding.

The two sides presented their proposals Friday to Michael Paolucci of Cincinnati, the fact finder assigned to this matter. Paolucci is to render a nonbinding recommendation that can be rejected by either side.

If the recommendation is rejected, the contract’s terms are resolved by a binding arbitrator.

The union’s contract expired Nov. 30, 2006.

The city approved three-year contracts last week with two other unions: the Youngstown Police Ranking Officers Unit and the Teamsters Local 277.

The first union represents 66 police detective sergeants, sergeants, detectives, lieutenants and captains.

The latter represents 32 workers in 22 jobs classifications in the street department.