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On February 16th, 2007 the Newark FOP Lodge #12 had a mail in ballot to ratify a memorandum of agreement between themselves and the City of Newark that was dated February 1st, 2007. According to the FOP the number of votes cast was overwhelmingly in favor to ratify the agreement.
A breakdown of this agreement reveals that this “negotiated” contract is worse than the one that was voted down by the officers during the James Administration.
While this agreement contains modest increases in some stipends and a 4% across the board pay increase (Statewide Average), it is full of negative demands and increases to the men and women of the Newark Police Department.
1-Article 5 was modified to provide that on 4-2 Shifts, duty shall be extended one half hour per day without additional compensation. The one half hour is inclusive of the non-contractual (FLSA) 15 minutes of past practice and may be used for any purpose assigned. For 5-2 shift detectives, on-duty days are not limited to Monday through Friday. Detectives will be subjected to working a Saturday or a Sunday and can be put into the 4-2 work shift at the discretion of their commander.
2-Article 10 section 1 was modified to add the following: “Effective January 1st, 2007 or as soon thereafter as it may be implemented, a $10.00 per month payroll deduction contribution towards retirees’ medical benefits shall be established for active employees. Section 10 was modified, effective January 1st, 2007, or soon thereafter as it may be implemented increase in the prescription drug co-pays from $1.50/$5.00 to $5.00/$10.00.
3-Article 24 was modified to cover only those actions which “arise out of and are directly related to the lawful exercise of police powers in furtherance of the officer’s official duties.” The city or the FOP can submit this issue to arbitration at anytime if they wish. The city most certainly will!
All mentioned above have a negative impact on the men and women of the Newark Police Department and favor the city. They are give backs! We continue to go backwards with this type of representation. The extra half hour not 15 minutes is a seven million dollar savings to the city and also is a deduction from the 4% pay increase. It has been boasted about to the media by city attorneys and Newark City Council Members because it was huge for the city to receive such a concession.
This is the worst contract in over twenty years, and the two previous agreements were no bargain either!
FOP as a collective bargaining agent
The formation of the first FOP prossies allowed officers to socialize with their fellows outside of their stressful work environment. In many areas the lodge building served as a private club little different from such organizations as the Freemasons.
As more jurisdictions began to allow their police officers collective bargaining rights, the social orientation of the FOP shifted. In some jurisdictions, officers voted for the FOP to be recognized as their collective bargaining agent, making the lodge in effect the local of a union within that jurisdiction. This caused a change of priorities from largely social and fraternal concerns to issues of benefits, pay, and grievance representation.
Critics have argued the FOP is ill-suited to serve in such a capacity. For one thing, it has traditionally been open to all ranks of sworn police officers, while labor unions by their nature are not open to members of management. For another, it is argued that collective bargaining is too far removed from the original purpose of the organization. For these reasons, in some jurisdictions the FOP has been decertified as a collective bargaining agent, although it may continue to exist in its original social and fraternal functions.
Copyright 2007– Newark Police Department PBA, NJ, USA. All Rights Reserved
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