2,2,2 rumor

inflation up by 3.1% this year, pension contribution going up. Were losing $$ anyway you slice it, so vote anything under 5,5,5 down. Now city wants to buy us out of our sick bank so they dont have to pay us larger amounts when we retire. Guess it will go towards the beautiful riverwalk. Time has come for the city to step up.............

The negotiations have not even been scheduled yet so there is no way to know what the City wants or doesn't want.

And...economic issues are the LAST items discussed.

Furthermore, just like we can ask for 20%-20%-20%, the City can ask for 0%-0%-0%. Whatever we end up will be the result of NEGOTIATIONS which requires the acceptance by both parties (and ratification by the members and City Council).

sounds like pat took offense to your comment, guess he switched to the darkside

A 2-2-2 would be a slap in the face after the mayor handed out a bonus of nearly 8% of my salary to staff for doing such a great time would crime reduction, but I "heard" the #1 issue for top union officials is health insurance at retirment, and that may mean little to no cola increases. But as things go, we will not be informed of any information until we are expected to vote on it, The results of the survey has not any been posted.

HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR RETIREES SHOULD BE THE #1 TOPIC OF DISCUSSION.....IF YOU JUST READ THE PAPER THE CITY IS MAKING MILLIONS ON TAXES WITH THE BOOMING HOUSING GROWTH :D

our contract expires in 11 weeks and they have not any started yet? Thats comforting!

Health Insurance at retirement should be the most important issue. I know it may be a long way off for some but when you get there you will appreciate that it was addressed.

I agree, try to get as much of a raise as you can but if you have to sacrifice 2% a year for three years or whatever it may be consider doing it. Get the Health Care into the contract and go after the money later. You will not regret it. Especially when you are retired and you need prescriptions and regular doctor's visits. :)

She cut every other employees pay. What makes you think she won't cut ours.
Go against "her" and look out.
All of the puppets are now getting schooled in dirty politics.
You sold out your own retired brothers and now we won't support you when you get sold out.

more and more doctors are consolidating their practices and not accepting insurance. don't give up any pay for a benefit of unknown value in the future. get the highest possible pay raise and raise the multiplier. yes the multiplier, what ever happen to 4%. the city would probably agree to 3.75% if you maxed out in 20 years at 75%. of course most staff have over 20 years so they would not ever let that come to a vote.

Let me correct what I said.

I did not mean for you to take a 2% pay decrease when I said sacrifice 2% of your pay. I meant instead of a 5% raise take 3% instead and get the health insurance. I would never be for a pay decrease.

I also believe that streetcop is wrong. Health insurance will be around forever and you are going to need it when you retire. I'm not pushing this because I'm close to retirement I still have 20 years to go. It's not just for the guys/gals close to retirement its for you too when you get there.

When you are older and you need prescriptions and regular check-ups that cost is going to add up. The insurance will ease the cost and you can get the bigger pay raise in the next contract.

Good Luck with whatever road you choose on the contract.

BE SAFE!! :D

Retirement health Insurance is a good idea, but I don't want us to rush into some 1/2 thought out plan with no research. Our contract expires in 11 weeks and there has been really no "official" study or feasibility report done on a retirement health insurance program or stipend at retirement.

The plan provided by O’Connor seems very good, but the estimates of 1% per employee and 1.34% of salary for the city seem like dream figures in light of rising and unpredictable insurance cost.

If that 1% has no cap to the officer it could be financially devastating if it rises sharply. You have to remember that the active would then be paying Pension, PBA, Current health insurance premiums, and the retirement health insurance contribution.

So yes it is needed, but needs to be carefully researched and administered or it could be a bankrupt fund.

I say lets go for a stipend of 250.00 a month with a built in COLA for inflation . Then have the city match deferred comp contributions by 1% of salary. A 20 year officer would then have about $250.00 a month from the stipend, with increases for inflation, and an estimated $250.00 a month draw from deferred comp for nearly 17 years after retirement, then medicade would kick in. The deferred comp amount would increase with salary increases, and the stipend with inflation. Once we get it in the package, we could build on it from there.

Just my thoughts, although maybe not perfect.

Let me just add, I am not bashing O’Connor’s Plan and the work he put in it is respected and appreciated. You would have to be a fool to pass up paying 1% of your salary tax free while working for a lifetime of health insurance when your retiree. It just seems to good to be true to me.

Let's say you get nothing, and top it off with more nothing.
Then add some nothing gravy and a side of mashed nothing.

You might be offered some nothing pie to make up for nothing altogether but that is just a disguise to make you feel like you are getting something.

Meanwhile, the real turkeys are out on the riverwalk and 40th St. ceremonies and visiting in the stations hoping you don't see through their people disguises.

Then you might realize that they are starting to look awful tasty when you got served a nice hot plate of nothing.

The shame of it all is that many will not even vote. And if you representative says something "like this is the best you going to get" "Watch Out". And if all else fails they will not give the younger officer anything to divide everyone and piss everyone off. Negoishions are a real joke and I have had many years of hering everything. Stick to the health Insurane thing because you willl nevr see the 13th check, like we never have.....

Good Luck

The shame of it all is that many will not even vote. And if your PBA representative says something "like this is the best your going to get" "Watch Out". And if all else fails they will not give the younger officer anything to divide everyone and piss everyone off. Negoishions are a real joke and I have had many years of hearing everything. Stick to the health Insurance thing because you willl never see the 13th check, like we never have.....

Good Luck

The retirement health insurance idea is dead for this contract. Neither side is bringing it to the table. There has been no official feasibility or cost studies done and it’s to little to late for this contract. Look for it to be the hot issue with the 2009 contract.

YEA, LEAVE IT TO RAY........YOUR NEGATIVE ATTITUDE WILL GET US NOTHING......IT IS A BENEFIT THAT WE " NEED "...YOUR NEGATIVE ATTITUDE IS WHY WHERE IN THE POSITION..WHERE IN NOW. LOOK RAY, YOU HAVE TO " FIGHT " TO " WIN ". THE CITY AND THE PBA CAN GET THIS ACCOMPLISHED. IT JUST TAKES THE WILLINGNESS OF THE PBA AND THE POSITIVE MEMBERS TO GET IT DONE. " I BELIEVE WE WILL GET THIS BENEFIT " :D

I'm not being negative, I'm simply stating a fact! Its not being brought to the table this contract by the PBA. Its being looked at and may be brought to the table by the firemans union next year.


FACT: a thing done: as a obsolete, the quality of being actual, a piece of information presented as having objective reality

At this week's contract meeting there was much discussion about retired officers health insurance. There are a few plans being considered and something will be presented to the City.

BTW- The next contract committee is next Wednesday (July 26) at 2:00 pm in the PBA conference room. Our first negotiation session with the City is Friday July 28th.

WCF PBA WEBSITE:
http://www.wcfpba.org/forum/index.php

Why dont you just cut us retired folks out like everyone else has in this city?
Lets start from top down.
Mayor Pam, Shawn Harrison and his comment about how we must not care if we didn't show up to the picnic, the rest of city council, and as much as I like Rose Ferlita, she didn't help us out much either.
It might have been different if I hadn't been lied to but since I was (right to my face) the only thing the city will understand is attorney's and bad publicity.
Oh yeah...and the voting booth.
Sandy anyone??

Oh please, most city cops can't any vote in city politics. Sandy was a prime example, she destroyed the department her first term, and what did she get, a second term!

I think we have it pretty good, a very completive salary with any other agency in the state. An excellent pension, and overall good package.

Quit acting like you don't know were your next meal is. An MPO makes over 65,000 a year base. When you add up the perks, Holiday Pay (2800) Pistol (353) Driver (353) Education (1560) Longevity (750t) Shift (1200) Court Overtime (1000t). Potentially the average MPO is making over well over 65,000 a year, if you can't live off that you should seek a credit counselor. I think the city has treated us good in regards to pay and benefits.

With that said, there are some things that need to be done to stay competitive. We need our COLA, The shift diff has not been raised in 10 years, we should be paid for our court stand by time being that we are not free to travel. The 2-hour minimum also needs to be raised because it does not cover your total loss time for going to court. Holiday pay should be the same as other city employees, 12 days. There are things that need to be brought up with inflation to keep that completive edge, but I don’t think the city has been making us eat crow, as some people would portray it.

Your never going to get rich off being a cop, but it has given me a very comfortable like.

Dont start talking about needing any COLA increase because you didn't come into public service to get rich.
You have to fund her pay increase not yours.
You should be lucky just to have a job like that.
Who cares if you cant buy a decent house now for under $200,000, gas is $3.00 a gallon, and everything in between has gone up.
I am wondering how I am going to pay for my kids meals.
The mayor doesn't seem to care.

Buddy, if you are in that much financial trouble tell your fat wife to stop buying sweets and putting too many miles on your SUV. Learn to manage your money and get a life.

She is skinny because there is no food in the house.
You sound like you are staff the way you talk about being very comfortable with pay.
Have you gotten a property insurance bill lately?
Pretty soon, you won't be able to afford to live here unless the mayor increases (not decreases), INCREASES pay for deserving city employees.
I think she is proud of sticking it to us. Saving the taxpayers money. Everyone wants to know where the raises are mayor?
My kid is hungry.

I hear 5,5,5,

CPI going up 3.7
That leaves a 1.3 increase, not to even mention what could happen the next two years due to inflation
So, the first year you give up roughly 1/3 of that 1.3 increase to Uncle Sam
That leaves you with what..... .08 Thats right, 8/10 of one percent increase
They can KMA!!!!!
VOTE NO
JUST SAY NO!!!!!!!!!