The Gospel According to DeLord
Ed. Note: Starting today we are going to be posting Ron DeLord’s weekly rundown of all the law enforcement labor-related news. I know many of you already receive this information directly from Ron, but for those of you not on his list, this gives you the opportunity to keep up with the most important news and information about contracts, pensions, discipline, and other important matters for the profession throughout the country. You can communicate with Ron directly at rondelord@me.com.
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Bad Math and a Coming Public Pension Crisis
When Jim Palermo was serving as a trustee of the village of La Grange, Ill., he noticed something peculiar about the local police officers and firefighters. They were not going to live as long as might be expected, at least according to pension tables.
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Is The Supreme Court Primed to Create “Right-to-Work” for Public Employees Nationwide?
State Right-to-Work laws generally allow any employee to opt out of paying union dues completely. As we have previously covered, such laws, which traditionally have been popular in the South, more recently have been adopted by the state legislatures in “rust belt” states traditionally viewed as bastions of organized labor such as Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
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City, SAPOA resume collective bargaining talks
SAN ANTONIO – For the first time since the council elections were finalized, the city and the police union will meet to resume talks aimed at agreeing on a new collective bargaining agreement. Less than 24 hours before the meeting, Dist. 9 Councilman Joe Krier sent an email that didn’t sit well with the San Antonio Police Officers Association.
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Police unions questions Cuomo’s order
ALBANY – Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate police killings drew criticism Thursday from law-enforcement unions, who questioned whether the Democrat’s blanket policy is appropriate. Cuomo issued an executive order Wednesday requiring state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to step in for the local district attorney to investigate — and if necessary, prosecute — police officers involved.
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MPD adds 13 new officers amid national recruitment shortage
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) – Thirteen new officers joined the ranks of more than 500 sworn Montgomery Police Officers on Thursday. Class 2015-A started with 18 cadets, losing five during a grueling 22-week training academy. This addition to the department comes as national police recruitment efforts are falling flat.
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Department of Labor investigating APD
AUSTIN — The U.S. Department of Labor is investigating the Austin Police Department, the department confirmed Thursday. According to an Austin Police Association memo, the investigation is about people showing up early to work in order to be ready for when their shift officially starts. The Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division is looking into the complaints.
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Lockport settles health insurance lawsuit with police, fire retirees
LOCKPORT – The Lockport Common Council voted unanimously Wednesday to pay $170,000 to its police and firefighters’ unions to settle a lawsuit filed by 71 retired members of the two unions over reductions in their health insurance.
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El Segundo police, fire unions protest planned cuts
At the height of the recession, the El Segundo police and fire unions shelled out millions to help keep the city afloat. The concessions have continued for seven years — a pay freeze here, furloughs there. And now, they just want to be left alone.
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Rauner’s pension offer gives Rahm much, but not all of what he wants
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s latest offer to solve the state and local pension crisis appears to give Mayor Rahm Emanuel a healthy chunk of what he wants — but not all of it. It includes an offer to lift the financial hammer hanging over Chicago taxpayers: a state-mandated, $550 million payment due in December to shore up police and fire pensions.
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Senate erases provisions that scale back open record laws
Lawmakers in the State Senate spent much of Tuesday debating the state’s $70 billion 2015-17 budget that divvies up how much money state agencies receive and how they can use it. Tuesday’s discussions come after five months of talk and revisions by the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee.
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Scott Shackford Analyzes San Bernardino’s Fire Union Woes in the Press-Enterprise
Years after filing for bankruptcy, the Detroit of the West Coast—San Bernardino, California—is struggling to hammer out an exit plan. Not helping are their public sector unions, who have resisted deeper cuts, even though the city is running out of choices. As a consequence, the city’s firefighters could lose their jobs to outside contractors.
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Overdue court award owed to Scranton unions still growing
An overdue $20.9 million, and growing, arbitration back-pay award owed to Scranton police and firefighter unions should be paid within a few months, city Business Administrator David Bulzoni said. The award stems from the landmark 2011 state Supreme Court arbitration ruling awarding them years of back pay.
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For Mayor Gimenez, economy eases pressure on Miami-Dade budget
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez faces a far less bruising budget session this year as he prepares to submit a 2016 spending plan that’s described as expanding services and spending, rather than cutting them.
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Central Coast police unions take action against the police chief
SEASIDE, Calif. – Two Central Coast police unions want to oust Pacific Grove and Seaside Police Chief Vicki Myers. The nearly 55 members of the Seaside and Pacific Grove Police Officers’ Association said morale is down in both departments. Both unions have sent a letter to their city managers, reaffirming their vote of no confidence against Chief Myers.
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Meriden police union contract in binding arbitration
MERIDEN — Details of a contract covering city police officers will be decided by an arbitration panel. The contract was scheduled to take effect last July, but has been delayed for a year by negotiations between the city and police union. Unable to come to an agreement, both sides opted for binding arbitration.
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