Police union agrees to cut future hires’ starting wage

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

Also, a proposed three-year contract with the union would require future officers to spend 12 years on the force, rather than the current four, to reach the maximum annual base pay amount.

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.

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.

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 to the current salary structure.

For the complete story, read Tuesday’s Vindicator or Vindy.com