Police union OKs lower starting salary

By David Skolnick

City council expects to approve the contract proposal Wednesday.

YOUNGSTOWN — The union representing the city’s police patrol officers has agreed to reduce the annual starting salary of future hires by almost $9,000.

Also, a proposed three-year contract with the union would require future officers to spend 12 years on the force, rather than four, to reach the top of the pay scale for patrol officers.

“It’s definitely a long-term benefit for the city,” said Law Director Iris Torres Guglucello. “But I don’t know when there will be new hires with the city’s financial situation.”

The city administration is working on the 2010 budget that, as of now, has a deficit of about $3.5 million.

City council is expected to ratify a three-year contract Wednesday with the Youngstown Police Association, which represents about 115 patrol officers.

The union approve the deal, which calls for freezes in the annual base pay of its members, late last month.

Attempts by The Vindicator on Friday and Monday to contact Edward Colon, the union’s president, were unsuccessful.

The new contract keeps the annual base salary of a patrol officer with four or more years of experience, a majority of the union members, at $54,383.

The current annual base starting salary for an officer is $38,939.

The new contract would change the salaries of new hires, something the city administration has wanted and the union resisted in the past.

Under the contract to be ratified Wednesday by council, the new annual base starting salary would be $30,000. After four years, an officer would earn $34,500 in annual base pay. That’s close to $20,000 less a year compared with the current salary structure.

Rather than four years, newly hired officers would spend 12 years on the force to reach the top of the pay scale.

Also, the proposed contract includes modest increases for various perks.

For example, officers would receive $157 rather than $154.12 for every quarter of a year in which they don’t take any sick days.

Also, the city would pay $167 a year rather than $160.96 toward the annual membership at a fitness club for the officers.

Officers receive bonuses for holding higher-education degrees.

The amounts would increase under the proposed new deal.

Those with associate degrees would receive $405 a year rather than $391.18. Those with bachelor’s degrees would get $470 rather than $453.09 annually. Officers with postgraduate degrees would receive $565 annually rather than $542.66.

The uniform allowance would increase to $1,050 from $1,048.41. But the union members have agreed to take $525 for a uniform allowance this year.

Longevity pay — given for every year an officer is with the department — would decrease from $65.08 to $65 under the new contract.

The city has also reached a tentative three-year contract with its ranking officers union that calls for a pay freeze, no uniform allowance for the first year, and extra-pay changes similar to those of the patrol officers.

Council is expected to consider that contract at its Feb. 17 meeting.

Members of both unions will continue to contribute 10 percent of their monthly health-care premiums. Health care also includes a prescription-drug plan and dental and vision coverage.

Monthly health-care premiums for members of both unions are $461 for individuals and $1,164 for family coverage.

skolnick@vindy.com