Politics & Government

Last-Minute Contract Proposed, Police Demotions Tabled

A tentative police union contract agreement arrived hours before Monday's commission meeting, delaying police demotions.

Less than two hours before the borough commissioned was scheduled to vote on  Monday, a potential contract agreement materialized.

In their last-minute proposal, said Mayor James Maley, police unions have agreed to some concessions and zero-percent annual salary increases.

"At 5:30 (p.m.) tonight, we completed some long, hard discussions, and (the borough) got word that we have an agreement with our police," said Maley at Monday's meeting. "All we have left to do is work out some contract language and get (contracts) signed and sealed—but it looks like we have a deal."

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The union's proposal wasn't officially accepted by borough commissioners on Monday, but its terms were appealing enough to at least temporarily halt the plan for demotions and layoffs in the .

"We're going to table this until next month's (commission) meeting," said Maley of not approving police demotions and layoffs Monday night.

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Demotions to police department hierarchy and layoffs were first announced via ordinance at the April commission meeting, after prolonged negotiations between police unions and the borough yielded no compromise.

According to Maley, Collingswood's two Fraternal Order of Police Unions—the patrolmen's and superior officers unions—initially requested a 4-percent annual salary increase, later decreasing it to 3.5-percent. The borough was unable to meet either request. 

Police, whose contracts are retroactive, have been working under an expired agreement since Dec. 31, 2010.

In April, Maley said the police department would be restructured if no contractual agreement were reached by May 9.

Besides the police chief, all department hierarchy would be demoted. Lieutenants would become sergeants, platoon and detective sergeants would be demoted to patrol-level. Two layoffs would occur, all lieutenant positions would be eliminated from the department, and three new officers would be added to the current street patrol. 

On April 28, layoff and demotion notices were officially issued within the police department.

But the two sides apparently were able to hammer out a tentative agreement at the last minute. 

Police union attorney Thomas Cushane said Monday evening that he could not comment on the details of the agreement because they were still being worked out. 

Maley said the borough commission will vote on the agreement at its next meeting, on June 6. 

"We're thrilled, because we're keeping our police in their jobs, and it will do great things for our budget," the mayor said after the meeting. 

"It's hard to quantify the result of a zero-percent increase," he said of how contracts will aid the municipal budget. "So let's just say they'd taken a 2-percent increase; if that were the case, it would amount to $75,000 annually."

In addition to a zero-percent salary increase, Maley said police unions have agreed to concessions in areas including shift differentials and uniform allowances.

Maley said the new police contracts would not expire until mid-2012.


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