Youngstown board approves contract with city’s ranking police officers union

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The board of control approved a three-year contract Thursday with the city’s ranking police officers union that includes no salary increase.

The union ratified the contract, retroactive to Jan. 1, in June even though only six of its 42 members approved it. That’s because there weren’t enough members who voted against the pact.

At least 60 percent of a union’s members must vote to reject a fact finder’s recommendation. With 42 members, a minimum of 26 needed to vote against the contract for it to be rejected. However, only 25 voted – six in favor of it and 19 against it.

The union wanted 1 percent annual raises for this year as well as 2018 and 2019, while the city asked for no pay raises for the three years.

The union – which represents 30 detective sergeants, eight lieutenants and four captains – also wanted the city to pick up the 12.25 percent pension payment paid by its members, stating the city does this for nonunion employees and for other police department unions. The fact finder rejected the request.

The fact finder agreed with the union on keeping the health care employee contribution at 10 percent. The city wanted the employee contribution to increase to 11 percent in 2019.