Thursday, May 22, 2008
GIRARD — Police officers here have filed an unfair labor practice charge against the city, but city officials say the matter will be sorted out when terms of the contract are clarified.
The Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association filed the charges with the state Employment Relations Board on behalf of the officers Monday.
The complaint names Atty. Kevin Powers as representative for the officers. Calls to Powers’ office were not returned Thursday.
The complaint says the city has refused to pay officers newly negotiated wages retroactively to the start of the 2007 calendar year. It also claims the city has made changes to the negotiated health care plan without bargaining.
Jerry Lambert, safety service director, said the dispute comes down to a need for clarification on exactly what the officers and the city agreed upon earlier this year. The agreement changed certain aspects of the health care plan, but some officers were unclear as to what those changes are, he said.
Read more in Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com