Union Meeting/vote called today.

I was just advised (via phone calls from several union members in the Officers union) that Ofcr. "C" has recently called a meeting for ONLY the Officer's Union Group to discuss and vote about the recent request from Chief "A" to re-nogotiate the standing union contract.

I realize that I am not a member of the officer's union group, but I think it is imperative that everyone (in both union groups) understand what is at stake.

First and Foremost, please be VERY careful of the motivations for this meeting. I have obtained an e-mail from Chief to Ofcr. "C" where Chief is making "suggestions" to him about how the union should proceed. As soon as the Adminsitration for the Police Department begin to have influence and/or control over the workings of the Union, the Union loses all of it's integrity and effectiveness. If your representative(s) are allowing this to happen, you need to take a very close look at their motivations as well. That e-mail is at the bottom of this document.

1: Having a meeting of one group and not including the other could result in a division of the 2 union groups which will likely cause the union to fail at some time in the future. Keeping the groups together has been a major goal of all the original union members. Dividing and concurring is most assuredly the goal of our Administration and the City.
ANY union meeting should be agreed upon by ALL the representatives of that group (and preferrably by ALL the representatives of BOTH groups) as well as our paid representative Paul Noeske. One representative acting alone should not have the authority to call a union meeting and especially not one that involves a possible vote of some sort.

2: This particular issue is of a very significant concern. Our Administration and the City both are trying very hard to have us make a decision immediately which is way too early. The Fire Union has not secured their final contract yet, the non-union employee raises have not been announced yet, and many other budgetary items are still pending. The contract we currently hold was specifically ratified at the request of the City. We already made significant concessions and to come back at this time before we even see what they are planning with other City employees who do not have a contract is simply premature.

3: If Unions agree to re-open their previosuly ratified contracts when there is not a true emergency - but rather an issue of the City's priorities, you create a "Past Practice" that could be used against you in the future. They know that!

4: Our paid representative Paul Noeske should be intimiately involved in this entire process and give us his opinions and recommendations PRIOR to any voting to change AYTHING in the contracts. He should be present at every meeting involving such an important issue.

I have no real stake in this issue because I am already past retirement time. I am simply concerned for all of your futures and don't want any of you to be pawns in any possible game being played out by others.


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From: A*****, K*******
Sent: Friday, June 12, 2009 3:31 PM
To: C*******, J****
Subject: FW: verbiage

For simplicity sake (if you are ok with it) I would use the verbiage in the attached document. Since we do have two separate agreements it should really be tabulated separately.

I also feel that having a day and a predetermined time period set aside for turning this in to our representatives would enhance the overall validity/integrity of the process (simply a suggestion).

Get with me after reviewing the attachment and let me know what you think. You can copy and past into you FOP document if you like it.

FOR SERGEANTS AND CORPORALS

A Memorandum of Understanding should be negotiated between the FOP State Lodge representing Sergeants and Corporals and the City of Temple Terrace for the contract in effect October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2010 agreeing that the pay increase due to the members on October 1, 2009 be suspended until October 1, 2010. Also included in the Memorandum of Understanding language delineating that the current contract be extended one additional year as is, to expire on October 1, 2011.



The contract between the FOP State Lodge representing the Sergeants and Corporals and the City of Temple Terrace in effect October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2010 should be honored as is.







FOR POLICE OFFICERS, SENIOR POLICE OFFICERS AND DETECTIVES



A Memorandum of Understanding should be negotiated between the FOP State Lodge representing Police Officers, Senior Police Officers and Detectives and the City of Temple Terrace for the contract in effect October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2010 agreeing that the pay increase due to the members on October 1, 2009 be suspended until October 1, 2010. Also included in the Memorandum of Understanding language delineating that the current contract be extended one additional year as is, to expire on October 1, 2011.



The contract between the FOP State Lodge representing Police Officers, Senior Police Officers and Detectives and the City of Temple Terrace in effect October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2010 should be honored as is.

Ok since when does a union representative sit down with a Chief of Police and conspire to rewrite a contract? Since when does a Union representative call a meeting without advising all union representatives and all union members? Why the split meeting? Wake up people. There are some strange things happening here and someone has a motive. Didn't we just give our votes to certain union representatives when they came around and asked us about reopening contracts? Why even bring it up. Why is the Chief pressing the issue so much? You don't think he'll get a nice pat on the back and an extension of his position if he could get the union to reopen contracts and save the city manager a big chunk of change. And how does one lone officer/rep obtain the power to initiate such a vote. Someone is kissing some serious booty and bucking for a promotion. No wonder we keep losing guys to other departments. Without the influence of unions, workers may not have any voice or power. The primary purpose of a union is to maintain and advance the wage rates and working conditions of members, and to defend and promote a fair and safe working environment. Do you understand that? Advance the wage rates and working conditions. Not retreat or give back wages to deteriorate the working environment. Workplace studies over many years have consistently found that the wages and conditions of workers at a workplace that is organized and collectively represented by a trade union are better off than those working in unorganized worksites. I already gave my vote and it is still NO! No to givebacks; no to meetings to discuss the issue and no confidence in the officer/representative. Step down and give the position to someone who actually cares about the officers.

First and Foremost, be very careful of the motivations of the person who posted this information here. As soon as the few who seem to run our union keep things from us and begin to have influence and/or control over the workings of the Union, the Union loses all of it's integrity and effectiveness. We are the members of the union and should be able to hear and decide for ourselves and have a voice. He says "I have no real stake in this issue because I am already past retirement time. I am simply concerned for all of your futures and don't want any of you to be pawns in any possible game being played out by others." He has every stake in this - the average of the last three years of salary affect your pension amount. Who doesn't care about the take home car benefit...the poster of the previous post; isnt that his car left in the parking lot when he goes home? That also is not a big benefit for a couple of the other supervisors. We need to make decisions for ourselves. And what game is he talking about. Life is not a game; my career is not a game. These are serious times and I am afraid of taking a hard lined approach; jobs are being cut everywhere. Although I haven't been here long, I'd like to keep mine for awhile!

shut up Carlisle

Well I know that the people who you speak of and STARTED the whole union thing have done right by me. I do not feel like they have kept things from me, but I do feel my own unit reps are keeping things from me. I was asked about the contract and said "NO" why are we still talking about it? Why is the administration writing the words we vote on. I do not like it one bit. I need my raise. The measley raise we get is ours by contract, end of story.

First and Foremost, be very careful of the motivations of the person who posted this information here. As soon as the few who seem to run our union keep things from us and begin to have influence and/or control over the workings of the Union, the Union loses all of it's integrity and effectiveness. We are the members of the union and should be able to hear and decide for ourselves and have a voice. He says "I have no real stake in this issue because I am already past retirement time. I am simply concerned for all of your futures and don't want any of you to be pawns in any possible game being played out by others." He has every stake in this - the average of the last three years of salary affect your pension amount. Who doesn't care about the take home car benefit...the poster of the previous post; isnt that his car left in the parking lot when he goes home? That also is not a big benefit for a couple of the other supervisors. We need to make decisions for ourselves. And what game is he talking about. Life is not a game; my career is not a game. These are serious times and I am afraid of taking a hard lined approach; jobs are being cut everywhere. Although I haven't been here long, I'd like to keep mine for awhile!

You sir are an idiot if you think that there are ulterior motives. You are either an admin member or the guy who sold out either way your words ring hollow.

[Jordan701]

It seems the conspiracy theorists are at it again, especially the ones who dont post names. Lets please have some kind of meeting of both bargaining units to clear the air on this. Making baseless acusations on this site does noone any good. This is getting blown out of proportion by certain individuals with personl agendas.

REMINDER: FOP LABOR MEETING TONIGHT (TUESDAY 7-7-09)AT PUBLIC WORKS AT 6:30PM. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT MEETING THAT IMPACTS EVERYONE IN THE LABOR UNIT.

Also sent by City Email.

Well done my chosen one .... now step forward and receive your stripes