01-29-2008, 02:20 AM
Local police unions join in coalition
Groups will share information on contract talks
By Christine McConville, Globe Staff | November 25, 2007
Police unions from more than a dozen communities in Eastern Massachusetts have decided that, when it comes to negotiations, there's more power in numbers.
The local unions have formed a coalition and begun pooling their resources and know-how in hopes that the collective would put them in position to better negotiate employment contracts for their 800 members. The move occurs as municipal labor contracts are increasingly difficult to negotiate and many have had to be settled in arbitration, where preparation and presentation can help win a dispute.
"Now, police unions from all these different cities and towns can come together as one and share experience, knowledge, and information," said Newton police Officer Jay Bab****, who is president of Newton's patrolmen's union and a member of the Massachusetts Municipal Police Coalition's board of directors.
The new group, which include police unions from Andover, Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Framingham, Lawrence, Lexington, Marlborough, Medford, Natick, Newton, Somerville, and Wayland, will also speak up collectively on certain personnel grievances - as it did recently when it protested the firing of a Lexington police officer.
Bab**** said that while each union negotiates its own employment contract, many share similar employment concerns that could be addressed by the same entity.
"Say we wanted to do a survey of healthcare costs" and "we decided to pay $5,000 for an outside consultant," he said. "We want to be able to give that survey to other towns, too, because it will have information their guys can use, too."
In Massachusetts, most officers are part of local labor unions, and every few years the union leaders sit down to negotiate an employment contract with the city or town management. Usually, after resolving disputes on pay and working conditions, the two sides reach an agreement and sign a contract.
But officials on both sides say that, in recent years, it has become more difficult for municipalities and police unions to settle contracts. Generally, after reaching an impasse, the two parties will turn to an outside arbiter to resolve the differences.
Richard Lee, Medford's director of personnel and finance, said more labor disputes are coming before arbiters. The city's contracts with both police unions expired in June, after the city and the union failed to reach a compromise, and have remained deadlocked.
"In conversations with my peers in other cities and towns, I've been told that disputes are going to arbitrations a lot more often," Lee said.
Bab**** said that most of the 14 unions that have formed the coalition are engaged in contractual disputes with their communities, and that all of the unions are represented by the same law firm, McDonald, Lamond & Canzoneri of Southborough.
Because each union negotiates its own contract with the individual community, there's no specific reason for the disputes.
"Every city and town has its own unique set of circumstances," Lee said.
Bab**** agreed. "In my experience, each contract brings a different problem," he said. "Either the towns or the cities don't have the money, or the administration has changed."
But, for many police unions, and virtually everyone else in the work world, the increased cost of health insurance and the ongoing battle over who will pay those increased fees, has been a significant sticking point in employment contracts.
Bab**** said that's one area where the new coalition will be especially useful. "We're gathering up all our resources" for a unified position on the issue, he said.
And apparently sticking up for individuals, too.
This month, the coalition voted to censure the town of Lexington for "antilabor behavior" after it fired Officer Michael Rizzo, the president of the Lexington Police Association.
"This action was the latest in a series of efforts by the Town of Lexington to obstruct the Lexington Police Association in the negotiation of a fair contract and in its other challenges to questionable actions of town and police department managers," coalition members stated in a release.
Lexington Town Manager Carl Valente said Rizzo was fired for allegedly injuring a resident in an incident last year and then lying about it. He said the dismissal had nothing to do with Rizzo's union activities.
Valente, who said the town held five days of hearings and interviewed nine witnesses about the incident, declined to describe Rizzo's alleged conduct or to name the reported victim.
Rizzo, who remains president of the Lexington police union, did not return several calls for comment. He is appealing his discharge before the state Civil Service Commission, Valente said.
Bab**** said his group is considering other actions on the matter, including a demonstration by members.
Globe correspondent Connie Paige contributed to this report.
Groups will share information on contract talks
By Christine McConville, Globe Staff | November 25, 2007
Police unions from more than a dozen communities in Eastern Massachusetts have decided that, when it comes to negotiations, there's more power in numbers.
The local unions have formed a coalition and begun pooling their resources and know-how in hopes that the collective would put them in position to better negotiate employment contracts for their 800 members. The move occurs as municipal labor contracts are increasingly difficult to negotiate and many have had to be settled in arbitration, where preparation and presentation can help win a dispute.
"Now, police unions from all these different cities and towns can come together as one and share experience, knowledge, and information," said Newton police Officer Jay Bab****, who is president of Newton's patrolmen's union and a member of the Massachusetts Municipal Police Coalition's board of directors.
The new group, which include police unions from Andover, Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Framingham, Lawrence, Lexington, Marlborough, Medford, Natick, Newton, Somerville, and Wayland, will also speak up collectively on certain personnel grievances - as it did recently when it protested the firing of a Lexington police officer.
Bab**** said that while each union negotiates its own employment contract, many share similar employment concerns that could be addressed by the same entity.
"Say we wanted to do a survey of healthcare costs" and "we decided to pay $5,000 for an outside consultant," he said. "We want to be able to give that survey to other towns, too, because it will have information their guys can use, too."
In Massachusetts, most officers are part of local labor unions, and every few years the union leaders sit down to negotiate an employment contract with the city or town management. Usually, after resolving disputes on pay and working conditions, the two sides reach an agreement and sign a contract.
But officials on both sides say that, in recent years, it has become more difficult for municipalities and police unions to settle contracts. Generally, after reaching an impasse, the two parties will turn to an outside arbiter to resolve the differences.
Richard Lee, Medford's director of personnel and finance, said more labor disputes are coming before arbiters. The city's contracts with both police unions expired in June, after the city and the union failed to reach a compromise, and have remained deadlocked.
"In conversations with my peers in other cities and towns, I've been told that disputes are going to arbitrations a lot more often," Lee said.
Bab**** said that most of the 14 unions that have formed the coalition are engaged in contractual disputes with their communities, and that all of the unions are represented by the same law firm, McDonald, Lamond & Canzoneri of Southborough.
Because each union negotiates its own contract with the individual community, there's no specific reason for the disputes.
"Every city and town has its own unique set of circumstances," Lee said.
Bab**** agreed. "In my experience, each contract brings a different problem," he said. "Either the towns or the cities don't have the money, or the administration has changed."
But, for many police unions, and virtually everyone else in the work world, the increased cost of health insurance and the ongoing battle over who will pay those increased fees, has been a significant sticking point in employment contracts.
Bab**** said that's one area where the new coalition will be especially useful. "We're gathering up all our resources" for a unified position on the issue, he said.
And apparently sticking up for individuals, too.
This month, the coalition voted to censure the town of Lexington for "antilabor behavior" after it fired Officer Michael Rizzo, the president of the Lexington Police Association.
"This action was the latest in a series of efforts by the Town of Lexington to obstruct the Lexington Police Association in the negotiation of a fair contract and in its other challenges to questionable actions of town and police department managers," coalition members stated in a release.
Lexington Town Manager Carl Valente said Rizzo was fired for allegedly injuring a resident in an incident last year and then lying about it. He said the dismissal had nothing to do with Rizzo's union activities.
Valente, who said the town held five days of hearings and interviewed nine witnesses about the incident, declined to describe Rizzo's alleged conduct or to name the reported victim.
Rizzo, who remains president of the Lexington police union, did not return several calls for comment. He is appealing his discharge before the state Civil Service Commission, Valente said.
Bab**** said his group is considering other actions on the matter, including a demonstration by members.
Globe correspondent Connie Paige contributed to this report.