MIAMI, FL – The city of Miami and its police officers were “this close” to a labor agreement before the intense week long negotiations collapsed Monday. The two sides had agreed upon cuts in wages and benefits to cover the remaining $12 million of the city’s $62 million budget deficit, but the deal fell through over the length of the agreement.
The city signed one-year contracts with the its three other municipal unions – sanitation, general employees and firefighters – and wants to do the same with its police officers. The police union wants a three-year agreement.
“We were this close to finishing,” said Fraternal Order of Police President Armando Aguilar, his thumb and forefinger an inch apart. “It’s obvious they want to screw us every year.”
Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones said she was concerned the city would be sending an unfair message to the three other unions if it agreed to a lengthier contract with police.
“No one up here wants to impose [a new contract],’’ she said. “But it’s like we have no choice.”
From The Miami Herald.
UPDATE: A contract agreement was reached early Wednesday morning (September 28). See our post “Miami Gets Concessions From Police Union, Finalizes 2012 Budget” for more information.
BALTIMORE – Baltimore City firefighters are being stretched thin because of dozens of vacancies within its department. The head of the Baltimore City Fire Union
NEW YORK — Andrew Brown, a former financial advisor for the Law Enforcement Employees Benevolent Association, spent years helping its president and treasurer misappropriate money
The federal agency said dozens of firefighters earned a flat rate between $200 and $250 a day regardless of frequent overtime. Backpay checks will range
