Politics & Government

Strongsville Police, City Reach Contract Agreement

Officers will get same pay raise as other unions

 

Strongsville police officers will get the same pay raises -- 7 percent over three years -- as the city's other employees, under a newly reached contract deal.

The agreement, approved by City Council Monday night, calls for police officers to receive a 3 percent raise this year, followed by 2 percent hikes in 2014 and 2015.

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It's the same 7 percent over three years that employees in two other bargaining groups -- the Service Department workers and building inspectors -- already reached, but the police, like the firefighters, will be taking the raises in slightly different increments.

The two other groups, represented by the Teamsters, are receiving increases of 2.25 percent this year, 2.5 percent next year and 2.25 the following year.

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Human Resources Director Steve Kilo said the police officers wanted the larger increase this year because contributions to their state retirement plan will increase this July.

"This helps them offset that a little bit," Kilo said.

City Council on Monday approved contracts with the Fraternal Order of Police, which separately represents the patrol officers in one unit and sergeants and lieutenants in another.

However, talks with dispatchers are at a standstill because they are in the midst of switching their representation from the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association to the Fraternal Order of Police

Negotiations can't start until the transfer is finalized, Kilo said. 

In addition, he said the jail's corrections officers are in the process of unionizing, so talks will start after that is done.

As is customary, council awarded the same pay increase this year to non-union city employees -- other than themselves -- when approving the deals with the Teamsters Jan. 7.

Council members removed raises for themselves from the legislation just before voting on it.

 


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