THE FOP AT WORK

Miami, FL.) --- The City of Miami Commission today ratified two contracts between the City of Miami and the Fraternal Order of Police, Walter E. Headley, Jr., Miami Lodge No. 20, (FOP). The vote comes after sworn police union members ratified the contract earlier in the week. The compensation package increases salaries for police officers.



“The City values its police officers as they are critical to the safety of all who live, work and visit Miami,” said City Manager Pete Hernandez. “In addition to providing for our employees, we must also provide residents with the sustainable infrastructure and services they deserve. This wage and benefit plan will bring us closer to meeting the needs of all people committed to the City’s prosperity and growth for generations to come.”



The wage increases will place the City in a more favorable position to recruit and retain Police Officers as compared to other police organizations in neighboring municipalities. The agreements cover the period of October 1, 2005, through September 30, 2007, and October 1, 2007, through September 30, 2010.



“The first contract will certainly improve the City’s ability to attract new officers and reward our current highly qualified officers,” said Rosalie Mark, the City’s Director of Employee Relations. “In addition, if efforts to stabilize the City’s pension plan costs are successful, the resulting change in salaries will catapult the Miami Police Department to the number one position for wages out of the 21 cities we survey.”

Gene,

You announced a meeting scheduled for tomorrow with your union membership to discuss the latest contract offer from the City of Corrupt Gables. The rumors about its substance are abundant and clearly describe another feeble attempt by the city to short change the police.

Any offer which begins with Zero/Zero retroactive pay, is a ZERO!!! This is another slap in the face of your police officers, or are they so narrow minded that they would be willing to just forget about all their hard work and efforts for the past two years just so they could get a new contract signed? Didn't the city offer the same deal in 2005 and your membership accepted it? Didn't they learn anything from that experience? It shouldn't matter how good the offer looks going forward, what about all their hard work and everything they endured for the past two years? The tax and insurance increases, cost of living, frustration, suffering, sacrifice, picketing, etc.?

If you truly believe in yourself as their elected leader (and you should because your the best they ever had), then you shouldn't give your personal recommendation , opinion, or endorsement to any offer that doesn't provide retroactive pay for the previous two years without a contract. I'm sure your very tired of all the fighting and bickering back and forth but, you have to believe that your union membership believes in you and will stand behind you 100 % to the end! DON'T SETTLE FOR ANYTHING LESS THAN THE BEST BECAUSE YOUR POLICE ARE THE BEST OUT THERE!

Gene, please be strong for your union and do the right thing........