Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Contract terms will be determined by an arbitrator whose decision is binding.
By Denise Dick
BOARDMAN — Township police patrolmen rejected a fact-finder’s report that called for different wage scales and vacation accumulation for new and current officers.
Chuck Mound, co-director of the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association Patrol Unit, which represents the township’s 34 patrolmen, said union members rejected the report Monday by a 30-0 vote. Four members were absent.
The contract between the township and union will head to binding arbitration.
“It was everything,” Mound said of officers’ reasons for voting no.
They didn’t like, for example, officers who work side by side paid according to two different wage scales, he said.
The contract that expired Dec. 31, 2008, lists a starting officer’s wage at between $22.01 per hour and $22.66 per hour, depending on the shift.
The report by fact-finder Dennis M. Byrne of Akron called for a starting wage of between $14.90 per hour and $15.55 per hour for officers hired after Jan. 1.
Mound said the members also opposed the idea that under Byrne’s recommendation, it would take 25 years to get to the highest wage.
“At 25 years, you’re ready to retire,” Mound said.
The expired pact calls for an officer with at least five years’ service to earn between $28.23 per hour and $28.88 per hour.
Beginning with 10 years and in five-year increments up to 25 years, they earn an additional 1 percent pay for each step.
The report calls for an officer to earn $30.03 per hour after 25 years of service.
The fact-finder’s report says negotiations between the township and union have been difficult.
“The union believes that the township’s financial position is not as bleak as the employer contends,” the report said. “On the other hand, the township argues that it is facing a severe financial problem and might be placed on a financial-watch list by the state.”
The township earlier this year asked the state auditor’s officer to do an analysis of township finances to determine if it had reached fiscal watch. That conclusion is expected within a few weeks.
Fiscal watch is declared if a community meets any in a set of criteria such as having a significant number of past-due accounts.
“During the mediation, the township discussed the fact that its general-fund balance was falling precipitously and that it was facing a cash crisis,” Byrne wrote.
Jason Loree, township administrator, said the township has to be cognizant of its financial constraints in all of its decisions including employee contracts.
“We’re not trying to scare people,” he said. “We just can’t afford to do business the way we used to.”
Another item that officers didn’t like was a different schedule for the accumulation of vacation time.
The old pact provided 10 vacation days after one year, 15 days after six years, and accumulating up to 35 days after 28 years.
The fact finder recommended this schedule change for officers hired after Jan. 1: 10 days for those with between one and seven years; 15 days for those with between eight and 15 years; 16 days for officers with between 16 and 24 years, and 25 days for those with 25 years or more.
denise_dick@vindy.com
Hourly compensation for different shifts:
Entry, $14.90, $15.40 and $15.55.
After one year, $16.11, $16.61 and $16.76.
After two years, $17.31, $17.81 and $17.96.
After four years, $18.51, $19.01 and $19.16.
After six years, $19.71, $20.21 and $20.36.
After eight years, $20.91, $21.41 and $21.56.
After 10 years, $22.12, $22.62 and $22.77.
After 12 years, $22.32, $23.82 and $23.97.
After 14 years, $24.52, $25.02 and $25.17
After 16 years, $25.72, $26.22 and $26.37.
After 18 years, $28.51, $29,01 and $29.16
After 20 years, $28.80, $29.30 and $29.45.
After 22 years, $29.09, $29.59 and $29.74.
After 25 years, $29.38, $29.88 and $30.03.
Source: Fact-finder’s report