Thursday, May 17, 2007
The union has worked without a contract since Nov. 30, 2006.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The head of the Youngstown police patrolmen's union said negotiations with the city on a new contract are progressing.
Representatives of the city and the Youngstown Police Association, which represents 117 patrol officers, met Wednesday in an effort to get closer to a contract agreement.
"Hopefully we can settle this," said Edward Colon, YPA president, who added that he was pleased with the progress made during Wednesday's negotiation session.
The city and the union met briefly May 7 with Michael Paolucci of Cincinnati, the fact-finder assigned to listen to both sides and render a nonbinding decision. But Paolucci recommended the parties resume negotiations and both sides agreed to do so.
The two sides negotiated May 7 and 9 as well as Wednesday.
If a deal can't be reached by June 7, Paolucci would return.
"Hopefully we won't have to go to the fact finder," Colon said.
When asked about negotiations with YPA, city Law Director Iris Torres Guglucello said, "Things are moving along."
No specifics
Neither side would discuss the specifics of the differences, but have said in the past that it primarily deals with salary and health benefits.
Colon's optimistic attitude about negotiations is a drastic departure from just a few weeks ago when he described the negotiation process being "bad," and that the city was taking a "hard stance."
The union's contract expired Nov. 30, 2006.
The union filed lawsuits in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court seeking a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to stop the city from taking away some of the police parking spots in a lot near city hall. A magistrate rejected the requests for the order and the injunction.
The city recently reached a tentative agreement on a three-year contract with the Youngstown Police Ranking Officers Unit, that represents 66 ranking officers. City council is expected to consider ratifying the contract at its June 6 meeting.
The tentative deal came without the use of a fact finder or arbitrator.
skolnick@vindy.com