- HOME
- NEWS
- SPORTS
- BUSINESS
- FYI/LIVING
- ENTERTAINMENT
- OPINION
- JOBS
- CARS
- REAL ESTATE
- RENTALS
- CLASSIFIEDS
- SHOPPING
- EXTRAS
Posted on Fri, Oct. 23, 2009 11:02 PM
Police union turns down pay raise
More News
A Kansas City, Kan., police union voted to forgo a pay raise for 2010 and help Wyandotte County’s Unified Government with an unprecedented $12 million shortfall.
Unified Government officials had said that without the pay freeze, the city would be forced to give pink slips to 16 police officers.
Officers had been promised a 4 percent increase in 2010 and had a contract that guaranteed the raise.
“The Unified Government is pleased the union police officers have agreed to share in the sacrifice being made by other Unified Government employees to save the jobs of their co-workers,” Unified Government spokesman Mike Taylor said in a statement. “The Unified Government was obligated under the contract to pay the 4 percent increase, but simply couldn’t have afforded it.”
Several residents like neighborhood watch leader Marcia Rupp thought the pay raise was well deserved. She and others protested in front of city hall this week in an effort to stand behind police officers.
“We can’t afford to have police officers being cut or laid off. We need every pistol-packing police officer we can get,” Rupp said earlier this week.
Rupp and others wanted the city to find a way to retain police jobs and come up with a raise to recognize the hard work that officers perform every day.
Police Chief Sam Breshears said in a statement that the police department was prepared to deal with layoffs and would not have allowed public safety to be jeopardized.
“Obviously I’m pleased the dedicated officers in the FOP chose the responsible path of cooperating with the Unified Government in dealing with the budget crisis,” Breshears said.
The County Commission has already approved a two-year pay freeze and a pay cut in the form of 15 furlough days for all nonunion employees.
The government also has gone to the other unions and asked for contract concessions. Twelve labor unions represent about two-thirds of the Unified Government work force. Unions were asked to accept wage freezes and/or furloughs.
The electrical workers union elected to take the wage increase. But the vote meant that eight union employees were laid off.
To reach Dawn Bormann, call 816-234-7704 or send e-mail to dbormann@kcstar.com.
Posted on Fri, Oct. 23, 2009 11:02 PM
@Nyx.CommentBody@