Tampa Tribune Story

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/dec/21 ... s-breaking (http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/dec/21/me-usf-its-police-hit-salary-impasse/?news-breaking)

By ADAM EMERSON, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 21, 2007

TAMPA - There's no disagreement at the University of South Florida that low salaries are making it difficult to fully staff its police department.

How high salaries should go, however, is a contention that on Thursday prompted the USF administration to declare that salary negotiations with the police union are at an impasse.

Unless the issue is resolved, an independent consultant warned this month, the police department likely will remain woefully understaffed.

For months, the two sides have been mired in often testy negotiations over salaries. Union officials have argued that lower pay created an exodus of trained officers seeking more money with the city and county, as well as a dearth of new recruits.

A report drafted by a former Philadelphia police commissioner, at USF's request, called the department's problems with hiring and keeping police "immediate and growing," brought on partly by a "non-competitive compensation package."

University administrators say they have a good salary offer on the table. Union negotiators disagree.

Administrators said they declared impasse after union representatives canceled a collective bargaining session scheduled on Dec. 14, and didn't reschedule.

"It was clear we were going nowhere," USF spokesman Ken Gullette said.

One union negotiator, though, said he was confused by the university's move Thursday.

The union canceled the meeting after its request for public records went unfulfilled, police Sgt. Mike Klingebiel said. Negotiators sought the just-completed consultant's report, along with the university's contract with a private security firm, whose services may cost USF $200,000 this fiscal year.

"We though it was a simple request," Klingebiel said.

Without a fully staffed police department, the report warns that the university will be stressed to patrol special events and protect the anticipated growth of students on its Tampa campus.

The university police department employs 42 sworn officers, though it has the budget for 49.

"Staffing to this level requires the officers to work significant overtime and sometimes necessitates supervisors to work as patrol officers," wrote the consultant, Tom Seamon, president of Hallcrest Systems Inc. and a former Philadelphia deputy police commissioner. USF paid Seamon $13,000 for his work.

Gullette said the university hired the consultant because "we wanted an objective assessment in the wake of Virginia Tech to take an overall view of the campus."

"During union negotiations, emotions can take over the debate," he said Thursday.

Police union officials, however, said their trouble recruiting and high officer turnover has been clear for years. A starting salary at the university police department is $35,041. A rookie deputy with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office can earn $39,115. The starting salary with Tampa police is about $42,000.

The university administration said its good offer includes raising the starting salary to $38,000. But even if the starting salary increases, officers with several years of experience won't be making much more than rookies under the administration's proposal, said Klingebiel.

The union wants a more generous step plan than what the administration is proposing. Keeping senior officers is getting harder, Klingebiel said.

Now that the administration has declared an impasse, the two sides must agree on a magistrate who will work to break the stalemate.

Even though the union's contract expired in July, state law prohibits its members from striking.

The administration and the union could each agree to the magistrate's recommendations. If they don't, the university's Board of Trustees will decide the issue, Gullette said.

Reporter Adam Emerson can be reached at (813) 259-8285 or aemerson@tampatrib.com.

Very Strange ...... PBA asks for a copy of the contract with the private security firm.....a contract for 1.2 million dollars each year for three years .......The security contract that includes a 3% increase each year ......the increase which basically is a STEP PLAN !!!! Gee, and you guys have no money what a load of crap.....

OH Sandy, the heats getting a little hotter now, the Security report, multiple media outlets now picking up the story, I'm sure Channel 10 is foaming at the mouth to start attacking..... soon Sandy the Oracle staff will be back in the office......OH its getting Hot Sandy .......can you really undersand where we're coming from.

Oh Ken, or Ninja or is it "sen say" get your spin motors running, your in for one hell of a ride!!!!

Geez, give it a break already. You get what you get; don't like it? Then pack your crap and leave. Nobody 'really' gives a crap about your sniveling............. All this Usf board does, is whine. Look at yourselves in the mirror. Tampa, Hillsborough nor any other entity could give a 'crap load less' about your spindley, petty crying antics. Your obsessed with this pay issue. You do not do enough to merit the pay. You know it, the Amin. knows it, the State knows it, the Student body knows it. Don't you just sit there at 50th and Palm and watch the outside world whirling as if you do not exist? Contrary to your beliefs, a pay raise would do nothing to increase your purpose. SINCERELY, ALL WHO DO NOT GIVE A D--- :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

This is a good example of a 1st amendment right. It allows people with the minimum required brain cells to formulate a thought regardless of whether it is coherent or intended to trigger a negative response, the right to say or print what they want. It also allows other people to view this person as an idiot.

It seems that our resident Sh it stirrer has returned. Can we get rid of this guy???

Interesting. Especially when you, my dear knucklehead, have the inability to type without run-on sentence errors. Who, Leo2, is the boob now. TWIT. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Don't worry, I feel for you. 'LOW WAGES AND ALL'. he he

P.S. Please keep this forum positive. Thank you for your best effort :D

PETER PAN and MOTHER HEN. It appears you identify with stories of fairies and make believe. Take your medicine and do as the gentlemen in white coats say. Leave the forum to adults who live in the real world.

I personaly, am buying stock in the security corporation; especially knowing they land state contracts. :lol:

STOCK= something one buys when extra cash flow exists. Mmmmmmmm sorry, We forgot usfpd is a lil' short on change/light in the pockets............ :cry:

The quote below is rediculous. Why would any cop say USFPD isnt worth more pay? And to say our Admin knows it is rediculous to. We do lots of things for our "admin" that many cops in larger agencies would file greivences over and we do them without whining. Does our admin appreciate it? Apparently not.

USFPD is not the only "state" agency with pay issues. Just look at FHP. They are as underpaid as we are and their turnover rate is as high. But contrary to what the poster said about USFPD, FHP is very busy with calls. If you are really a cop you know that to be true, just 10-52 the trooper next time you are at a crash on a SR. I bet you wait an hour. So, USFPD isnt worth real pay because we arent busy (sometimes) but FHP isnt either? Give me a break.

USF admin is hiding behind the "state" illusion that they can only pay what the legislature gives out. FHP is tied up by that but we are not. Doesnt anyone remember when the board of regents went away we were told that now that USF was more independent, they could pay us what ever they wanted? Before you laugh remember the idea was better not lower pay. But it is now plain to see how "business" people take care of their workers when given a free hand.

No police force can work well when it is mainly staffed by rookies. We have to learn from someone with experience. "pack your crap and leave" doesnt solve the problem it only makes it worse. That lack of experience will show up one day, unfortunatly it will be a student who will pay the ultimate price.

Even if we dont get paid as much as TPD, we still NEED a step plan and enough pay to make it possible to work here.



Geez, give it a break already. You get what you get; don't like it? Then pack your crap and leave. Nobody 'really' gives a crap about your sniveling............. All this Usf board does, is whine. Look at yourselves in the mirror. Tampa, Hillsborough nor any other entity could give a 'crap load less' about your spindley, petty crying antics. Your obsessed with this pay issue. You do not do enough to merit the pay. You know it, the Amin. knows it, the State knows it, the Student body knows it. Don't you just sit there at 50th and Palm and watch the outside world whirling as if you do not exist? Contrary to your beliefs, a pay raise would do nothing to increase your purpose. SINCERELY, ALL WHO DO NOT GIVE A D--- :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

This is a good example of a 1st amendment right. It allows people with the minimum required brain cells to formulate a thought regardless of whether it is coherent or intended to trigger a negative response, the right to say or print what they want. It also allows other people to view this person as an idiot.

I personaly, am buying stock in the security corporation; especially knowing they land state contracts. :lol:

STOCK= something one buys when extra cash flow exists. Mmmmmmmm sorry, We forgot usfpd is a lil' short on change/light in the pockets............ :cry:

I've been investing in the stock market for the last 18 years of my employment with USFPD. The key to financial success- always pay yourself first.

You are correct; pay yourself by refinancing your home, purchasing a lesser automobile then increase your 401k with the fluff. In other words, live within your means. If you desire more pay, then go to another department(where you will handle an increased workload) or find another career. The workload/activity log for your dept is a mere fraction of what TPD, HCSO, TEMPLE TERRACE OR Plant City PD does. You get paid for what you do. Why does this common sense elude you? SERIOUSLY, WHY? :roll: :roll:

Salaries at the police departments you mentioned are not based on call volume.

I WOULDNT THROW TEMPLE TERRACE IN THAT MIX....THEY ARE NOT MUCH BUSIER IF AT ALL THEN US. ALSO COMPARING US TO TPD OR HCSO FOR THEIR CALL VOLUME IS BULL ALSO. OUR JURISDICTION SIZE MUST FACTOR IN WHEN COMPARING CALL VOLUMES. I THINK TPD AND HCSO HAVE MORE JURISDICTION THEN USF....NICE TRY THOUGH.

BY THE WAY, A BULLET STILL HURTS WHEN A USF OFFICER GETS HIT AS IT WOULD FOR TPD HCSO OR TTPD.

Let me clarify by saying, "Call volume, as well as, frequency of contact with the public are, indeed, a factor in how much you are compensated for. Be honest with yourselves and all the readers/participants in this forum. As in all lines of work, LOAD is a factor in pay scale. Opening a locked door vs. Domestics//frat party altercations vs. Gang activity..yada yada yada................ Folks, it is a simple case of supply and demand. I know you folks will never admit that you are not worth as much to the state as the surrounding agencies but unfortunately, idealizing yourselves does not change the outward view of the obvious lesser value you have to this community. I am not trying to disuade your efforts but 'IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN'. Can you present to Genshaft the reason why you are worth more? How many of you are continuing your education(graduate program)? How many of you are involved in civic volunteer work? How many of you are on a physical fitness program? WHAT DO YOU DO THAT MAKES YOU WORTH MORE???? Oh, to address the 'bullet' cliche; Several agencies throughout the U.S who recieve similar pay, are much more prone(frequency) to being shot.......Funny, though how they cry less. Remember your very first day in the Academy. THEY TOLD YOU THAT IF YOU WERE GETTING INTO THIS CAREER FOR $$$$$$$$$$, YOU BETTER CHANGE YOUR MIND IMMEDIATELY..REMEMBER THAT?????????? Have a safe shift.

I've read your posts here for quite a while and I just don't get why you have to come here and bash the Department. Whats the connection with you and this place?

Listen, for the most part, most of the people who work here are new and most likely not employed here when you were. Alot of the bashing you do shows you've been gone for a while (resident offices are gone).

The officers are looking for a decent wage thats all. A 1.5 % wage offer is not a raise. Even what we asked for in the original package was way below all the surrounding agencies, we never asked or expected to get anything close.

But of course I'm just wasting my time with you. You know it all anyway and will continue to sling mud on this site. Most of us no longer post here because of the lack of control which allows people like you to slander people who are just looking for a better wage.

I expect your typical witty comeback as usual but then again opinions are like azzholes everyone has one.

Stay Safe Brother

No one is asking for equvalent pay to TPD or HCSO, we are looking for some decent pay raises of starting salary and yearly raises for employment longevity to stop people from leaving to the other agencies, a reason to stay at USF, and to survive vs the cost of living.

Work load has nothing to do with anything. USF will never have the work load of TPD or HCSO, or the pay.

Quote- ?Can you present to Genshaft the reason why you are worth more? How many of you are continuing your education(graduate program)? How many of you are involved in civic volunteer work? How many of you are on a physical fitness program? WHAT DO YOU DO THAT MAKES YOU WORTH MORE?????

What does this have to do with basic annual pay raises for doing a job? No police department gives annual raises based on personal achievements.

Money is not just an issue for the Police Department. Other staff members Unions are in impass with USF also.

The parking fee's increase will eat up any offer that USF had on the table.

Could someone translate the first part of that? The parking permit part I understand, and if you work downtown Tampa, which are probably attorneys and executives making big money, you're going to pay $500 or more a year to park there. Parking for USF is approaching that. But parkinng in our own lot should not be charged that rate! Parkinig on any campus is big money for a university, but why do we have to pay to park in our own lot, I have never undrestood that.

I am confused too, what other staff members have a union at USF? The police department gets the same annual state raises as the custodial staff? A BIG PROBLEM!

ALL USF EMPLOYEES must purchase a parking permit in order to park on Campus. It is projected that within 4-5 years the price will be about $500+.

The Union which covers Custodial Staff, Maintenance and Police Dispatchers, etc. has gone to impass with USF also.

As I stated that is my point....a projected $500 parking pass in the future..ouch! a cost that has never been bargained for us!...and even if there is a union for custodians, maintenance and other staff members, which I doubt there is such a thing,...that is not the same as PBA union that should be bargaining for University Police, a professinal group? Right? Police are a proffesinal group compared to custodians, maintenance or other university staff? Maybe not not at the University level? Would seem so at this point, given we get the same pay raises as an uneducated custodian working for the University.

Heres a story about the "staff" Union
from the Oracle


The union representing USF's staff announced Tuesday that it wants to bring a federal mediator into talks to speed up contract negotiations.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), whose ranks include about 2,000 non-faculty, non-graduate student staffers at USF, sent an e-mail expressing frustration with the current state of bargaining between the University and the Federation (AFSCME).

As it now stands, AFSCME, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, and the University have been working to develop a contract for three years, but have yet to come to an agreement.

"We have exhausted every approach in talks with management without resolution to many important issues to the staff. In our view, federal mediation will offer professional guidance for both sides to move to an agreement," the e-mail stated.

Other concerns specified in the e-mail included instating benefits like employee leave, fostering job security - including transferring employees instead of laying them off - and implementing written job requirements and performance standards.

The e-mail especially criticized the Board of Trustees - which since January 2003 has employed all of USF's faculty and staff - as being unwilling to work with the Federation and "reluctant in negotiating a labor contract."

William McClelland, president of the local chapter of the Federation and spokesman of the negotiating team, said too much time had elapsed without yielding significant progress.

"We called a federal mediator because we've been negotiating 2 1/2 years and we haven't resolved the non-economic issues and we haven't even got to the economic items," he said. "It's gone on too long."

Nadine Priester, an academic program specialist in criminology who is on the Federation's bargaining team and is the chapter's recording secretary, also expressed frustration.

"We're tired of just foot-dragging behavior, of pointless back-and-forth debate," she said. "We need to get to the economic issues and get some money into people's pockets. The faculty have a contract, the graduate students have a contract (but) the staff don't have a contract."

He also said the Federation requested that the University conduct a study comparing USF staffers' salaries to those of employees working similar jobs in the region this summer, but that this hadn't been done.

Sandy Lovins, chief negotiator for USF and associate vice president of administrative affairs, disagreed with the Federation's assessment.

"We're disappointed to read AFSCME's account of negotiations," she said. "We do not believe that they've presented an accurate representation of our discussions to date."

Lovins said USF and the Federation had discussed using federal mediators, and that they considered "gauging" the need at a meeting last week.

According to the e-mail, however, the Federation had "asked management to join us with federal mediation. So far they have refused without offering any other solution to find resolution."

In Lovins' account, though, the University didn't feel the need to bring in a mediator in the past, and had been "willing and able to move the process along independently."

"We didn't know whether there was a need back then," she said.

Lovins said she's now considering sending out an e-mail clarifying the University's position on bargaining by the end of the week.

"I believe strongly that it's important to convey the facts to our employees, and we fully intend to do so," Lovins said. "AFSCME in their e-mail is saying one thing which I believe is not factual."

She said federal mediators are funded by taxes and would not cost the University any additional money.

Sherman Dorn, president of USF's chapter of the United Faculty of Florida, said he hoped the University and the Federation could promptly resolve their dispute.

"I would like there to be an agreement that gives staff an appropriate salary, a living wage and an opportunity for advancement on their merits," he said. "I'd like to see agreement with all the campus unions that meets the needs of the University and the employees."

Hey folks, regroup, focus. Parking fees? lol. Hey, I am having three condos built in Columbia, overlooking the water. 1200 s.f.. 520 k a piece when they are built out in 6 months. LOL, there is a waiting list of 86 takers! My point.... Look elsewhere for subsequent income. This is not nuclear physics people. The friggin' units cost me 52k a piece to build. You do the 'profit margin' math. I guess you don't realize that a new path can't be dug in muddy waters. I am trying to help you victims to think outside the PARA DIGGIM... I was once like you and feel bad when I read your posts, that's all.............The U of southern fun has you trapped in a quagmire of hopelessness. New Years for myself means I only have 5 years of Salary condenmnation before I have tagged over 4 million in property profit. I know a few of you are grinding your bicuspids, while a a smaller group of you know what I am talking about. Please stop trying to figure out who I am and try imagining what it is like to be me!! Even those of you that 'BULLITT' could care less about, doesn't affect my kind heart. Gotta go over there (to Columbia) in a few days so I will not be around for a few weeks. This will give give some of you a chance to stew(you know who you are), while the rest of you will admit, "dang, if he did it, why can't I?" Wish me a sfe flight and snag as many s-10's as you can.. 8)

SO WHAT YOUR SAYING IS YOUR A "MULE" FOR THE COLUMBIAN DRUG LORDS. I BET YOU EVEN OFFERED TO STORE THEM IN YOUR HOLIEST OF HOLES.....WITH PLEASURE.

HAVE A SAFE FLIGHT.

sniff sniff.......... I smell envy....LMAATWTTB......Laughing My A-- All The Way To The Bank :D