See the Pay Difference?

Onaverage about 14 thousand dollars difference between LCSO and FMPD. You think a union is not the right thing? Think of your retirement and your families. Vote yes on the union. About 12 thousand difference between CCPD and LCSO. Guys and girls, that is over 10000 dollars a year in your retirement and a significant sum on each paycheck. Vote yes for the union.

We all know there won't be an immediate pay rise to start bringing us back up to parity with the other agencies, but if we don't get a Union now, we will never get on that road. You can't forget that this administration has for two years rewarded the favored few civilians and told us to 'tighten our belts theres a recession on'. We have the chance to form a Union and have a hand in creating a fair and just system, rather than the say so of an elected politician like MS.

Do surrounding SO's and city PD's have a higher base salary, sure, anyone can look that up, but it's no $14k higher. Now genius, do the math and figure your benefits. Do any of the surrounding PD's have a pension plan as good and stable as the FRS? A pension plan that they don't contribute to? Health care that they don't pay for, except a modest $300 deductible? Any employee from any agency may have their own issues with the administration of said agency, but crying about pay with the LCSO, and most non-state agencies is just whining.

Anyone who did not get the salary comparison, ask one of your partners for it. EVERYONE in this area is making tens of thousands of dollars more than us and have essentially the same benefits. Some better, some worse. Everyone at LCSO keeps crying they have no money but the rumor is that some select membes of civilian mangement got between 5 and 20 thousand dollars in a raise THIS YEAR!!!!! There is also rumor that almost 800k was spent on raises this year(some earned like promotion to sgt). So some paper pusher with historical ties to lee county without a degree gets a raise? Men and WOmen who put their life on the line everyday get nothing? Shoot, even a bad or lazy cop is putting it out there. Where are the prorities? Not with the men and women carrying a gun. So all of these agencies have a much higher salary, the same equipment, better or the same benefits, a contract that explains how things are supposed to be done, and a much richer retirement. How stupid could anyone be to think that by going with a union that LCSO will lose anything? Everyone knows that the union will pass but you still need to send a strong message. Have great turnout. Get together. Get a voice. Vote yes for the union.

Do surrounding SO's and city PD's have a higher base salary, sure, anyone can look that up, but it's no $14k higher. Now genius, do the math and figure your benefits. Do any of the surrounding PD's have a pension plan as good and stable as the FRS? A pension plan that they don't contribute to? Health care that they don't pay for, except a modest $300 deductible? Any employee from any agency may have their own issues with the administration of said agency, but crying about pay with the LCSO, and most non-state agencies is just whining.

Perhaps you need a business class or a calculator?

Yes the pensions are all solvent, stable, and overfunded at FMPD and CCPD(state law regulates, monitors, guarantees, and provides insurance to protect pensions). And their retirement factors are the same or higher than FRS Special Risk Group. You are right, they pay for insurance but get significantly better coverage than LCSO does. I have not heard from anyone with a family or had a baby that does not spend thousands on health care with LCSO's plan. Have you? And are you unaware of the percentage that you must pay after meeting you 300 dollar deductible? Broken leg is about 22000 dollars when al lis said and done. 2200 is your responsibility. Hart attack? Easy buck-twenty-five and 12500 is your responsibility. Baby without complications 35000 and 3500 is your responsibility and then you have to pay the pediatrician charges on top of that. Pray the baby doesn't wind up in ICU. Check out County coverage. Check out Blue Cross.

Comapring salaries is not whining. It is standard business practice for human resource departments to compare salaries to competitors/partners in the same or similar business. As a matter of fact, it is standard. They do this so that they offer fair compensation packages to their employees. So Fort myers says that a cop with ten years is worth about 70 thousand dollars and the government and administration agreed and signed the union contract. Cape Coral government said that a ten year cop is worth about 65 thousand dollars and the government and the adminstration agreed and signed the union contract. Lee County governement and the adminstration say that a ten year deputy is worth about 52 thousand and they don't have a union or a contract and the union is being fought every day. The salaries of LCSO deputies are the subjects of jokes in unionized agencies.

More money in your paycheck every day( all of it pensionable). NEGLIGIBLE difference in benefits. Much more money in your retirement(at least 10 k per year plus the annual COLA on top of that). Hundreds of thousands of dollars difference in compensation over a 25 year career and a twenty five year retirement. Much more protection from unfair labor parctices. Much more preservataion of and equity in career advancement. Much more adherence to consistent disciplinary standards. Gee unionization sounds really horrible "genius" (to use your term). Vote yes.

Do surrounding SO's and city PD's have a higher base salary, sure, anyone can look that up, but it's no $14k higher. Now genius, do the math and figure your benefits. Do any of the surrounding PD's have a pension plan as good and stable as the FRS? A pension plan that they don't contribute to? Health care that they don't pay for, except a modest $300 deductible? Any employee from any agency may have their own issues with the administration of said agency, but crying about pay with the LCSO, and most non-state agencies is just whining.

ask for the email that shows the salaries. it is 14k higher.

I understand that over the last two-years that certain members of LCSO received raises, most, if not all of them were civilians. This being true, why not print them on this site, showing how much of a raise they received. I'm sure that the Sheriff has his reason for actions, but, how many of them risk their lives everyday?

I understand that over the last two-years that certain members of LCSO received raises, most, if not all of them were civilians. This being true, why not print them on this site, showing how much of a raise they received. I'm sure that the Sheriff has his reason for actions, but, how many of them risk their lives everyday?

Soon. Reasons for his actions? There are about 70 deputies that are supposed to go in foreclosure. EVERY one of those civilians were already making more than most Deputies. There should be a law against it. But until there is a law vote yes on the union.

Also look at your equipment and working conditions. LCSO is already phasing out the 2005 model year patrol cars. FMPD still has 2000s on the road and guys dont have take home cars that have 3 plus years. Some of the guys that just got take home cars are driving around in 2003s with over 100K on it.

ABout 25 officers at FMPD dont carry tasers. Not by choice, the department doesnt have enough. They also have guys on patrol without computers because they dont have enough for every car. At night they got like 10 officers on duty. If something big happens, yeah county goes to help, but on a daily basis there humping calls non stop and going to calls that should have 3 officers with one. Ever drive through downtown on a weekend night on your way to or from the jail? DO IT! You'll see the 2 downtown cops outnumbered by the 300 plus bar crowd.

Are those the coniditons you want? Dont you like having good equipment, clean uniforms, a brand new car every 3 or 4 years?

If a union is so great, how is the union letting FMPD officers run code all over the city in a patrol car thats 9 years old with over 150K miles on it? And YES a union with balls could easily declare unsafe equipment and demand help!