By a vote of 275 to 32, the Police Department’s unionized membership has approved a five-year contract with the city that calls for a total wage increase of 9.5 percent during the contract duration as well as an insurance cost share freeze for one year for new officers.
Wage increase percentage by year, retroactive to July 2016:
Year 1: 1 percent
Year 2: 2.5 percent
Year 3: 2 percent
Year 4: 2 percent
Year 5: 2 percent
Members of the Bridgeport Police Union Local 1159 had been without a contract since July 2016. Most union members supported Joe Ganim’s 2015 comeback for mayor. Contract negotiations, however, caused a schism. The parties were heading to an arbitration decision before settling on terms. The contract ends June 30, 2021.
“I am very happy that this contract agreement has been resolved in a fair and equitable way for all parties,” said Ganim in a statement. “A number of the points that were agreed to in this contract will go a long way towards meeting our collective challenges.”
Other measures of the contract include reducing call back pay from eight hours to a four-hour minimum, something the city says will reduce costs associated with overtime as well as expediting the disciplinary process for officers on paid administrative status.
Ganim is campaigning for another four-year term. State Senator Marilyn Moore and State Representative Charlie Stallworth, both Democrats, have announced challenges.
Public safety was a central issue to Ganim’s 2015 return when he edged incumbent Bill Finch in a primary on his way to a convincing general election victory. Ganim, on the campaign trail, pledged to hire 100 new officers, something he has accomplished in his return, but the pace of department retirements pose challenges to maintain police staffing levels above 400, a key baseline for uniform deployment.
Whether this agreement will put a spring in the step of union members to support Ganim’s reelection is unclear, but one thing it does accomplish is a level of labor peace as Ganim seeks another four years.
“I am very happy that this contract agreement has been resolved in a fair and equitable way for all parties,” said Ganim in a statement. “A number of the points that were agreed to in this contract will go a long way towards meeting our collective challenges.”
Ganim2 says he is happy!! Great!! His happiness is not on my “bucket list” at this time but I am curious whether my happiness has been considered as a taxpayer? He says resolution from a labor fight that has taken over three years is settled fairly and equitably for “all parties”. Does that include the taxpayer?? Details are the life blood of OPEN and TRANSPARENT governance. Where are the dollar details? Any changes in the way in which departmental governance will run going forward?
In the meantime I saw a notice of luncheon, followed by press conference to introduce a new consultant Charles Ramsey, former Chief of Washington, DC, Chicago and Philadelphia who today consults to multiple jurisdictions. What is the task, the purpose for which we can find $100s of dollars per hour? How will the advice be carried out? What mechanism will be left in place to provide oversight and blow the whistle when change is not a result? Talk can be so cheap, when the challenges are great and long term. Time will tell.
Mayor Ganim will have a big problem with Chief Ramsey final report like testing, hiring, staffing, grievances and that’s not even talking about crime.
“By a vote of 275 to 32” I’d say that it overwhelmingly was approved.
How does the 9.5% increase break down by year?
Is it back loaded or front loaded?
That an make a big difference and with such a significant margin of victory my guess is it rewards prior years service.
Troll, I requested break down by year.
Year 1: 1 percent
Year 2: 2.5 percent
Year 3: 2 percent
Year 4: 2 percent
Year 5: 2 percent
Did you happen to ask what that comes out to on an annual basis?
Jul 2016 1% of what? Plus OT?
Jul 2017 1% + 2.5% of what?
Jul 2018 1% + 2.5% + 2%
Jul 2019 1% + 2.5% + 2% + 2%
Remember it is compounded.
When will it be paid out? Now or after the election?
Did retirees have to wait until this was done so we can expect more retirements once the back pay 💰 is paid out?
Oh and one last question. Does Perez get the back pay? He is no longer a member of the union but still a city employee???
Bob,
Yes,It includes Departmental overtime. FYI, retirees get retro pay for the years they were here. I retired October 2018, so I get back pay for 2 years, 3 months.
I’m sure AJ will get a huuuuuge retro check for the years he was “Acting “……. yes!
The lack of detail seems unusual…
Depending on the details, the answers to the above could explain it all.
Ganim is happy to have received a raise. I’m sure his City Hall cronies are too.
Just Joe. We know he’s still the Chief Sheriff in town.
That’s a lot of backpay but it has taken this long from the Bridgeport Police Union Local 1159 had been without a contract since July 2016, the city makes out on deals like this because they make interest on the money for those years that they didn’t pay the police.
Ron,
You are right! The city makes out, but the taxpayers would make out if the city would settle contracts on time. 3 years? And. Now in election year, all of a sudden, the ONLY UNION who backed this dipshit in the election finally gets a contract? Hmmmmm. I’m rooting for the Feds myself……..
Frank, you got that right, go Feds. Firefighters and Police can’t go on strike or a blue flu or a work slow down so he City has no need to negotiate in good faith.
Unfortunately Ron, the city already spent that money so they didn’t collect a dimes worth of interest.
The article says Wilmington Delaware spent $112,000 for 7 months worth of work.
Joe really cut a good deal.
He saved 80% for a contract he has no intention of implementing AND he’ll get it done in time to brag about it before the election.
Start with Precincts in every district.
Now comes the detailed analysis by the City Council.
Sure.
Motion to approve! Aye.