Austintown seeks contract settlements with police without layoffs

By Elise Franco

efranco@vindy.com

Austintown

Township trustees and union officials look to tackle the police department’s contract by bringing in a fact finder.

Trustee David Ditzler said negotiations began for the four township unions — Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 126, International Association of Fire Fighters Local 3356, Teamsters Local 377 and Ohio Patrolman’s Benevolent Association Dispatch Unit — just after the contracts expired Dec. 31, 2009. All have been working under contract extensions.

Ditzler said he anticipates wage freezes across the board.

At the top of the police union pay scale, a lieutenant made $31.77 per hour in 2009. An officer with up to one year of experience made $21.71 per hour. In 2009, the annual salary for a fire captain was $58,639. A full-time, first-year firefighter’s annual salary was $28,840.

Full-time dispatchers with more than three years of experience made $19.66 per hour, while part-time dispatchers with the same experience made $16.22 per hour. Full-time dispatchers with less than one year on the job made $17.69 per hour, and part-timers with less than 900 hours of service made $9.78 per hour.

“Obviously, the intent is to do everything we can to eliminate the potential for layoffs,” Ditzler said. “That’s why we’re hoping everyone can share in some reductions equally so no one has to lose their job.”

Lt. Tom Collins, FOP president, said it’s important to take time and care with the police contract because police officers don’t have the option to strike.