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Leverett PD forms a union

(Click here to view the original thread on the MassCops Message Board)

Posted by: geolopes

Hey Team: On 8 Feb 05, the Mass State Labor Relations Board opened the ballots. The newly formed "Leverett Police Assn." (LPA) was approved by a vote of 9-0 in favor. Contract negotiations will soon begin in earnest as LPA members have nearly completed their proposed contract for negotiation with the Selectboard. The SB had a special town meeting a few weeks ago where they had to ask the taxpayers for a $15,000 appropriation to pay for their labor lawyer's fee to negotiate with the LPA. They also had to ask them for more $$ owed to former Chief Bixby who they tried to screw during his disability hearings and final determination in his favor, which they fought every step of the way.
A public meeting is scheduled for wed, 16 Feb 7:00 PM at the Leverett Elementary School where members of the combined Leverett/Shutesbury Police Advisory Committees will talk to the taxpayers about the proposal to merge the two PD's. Should be interesting. Stay tuned.


Posted by: Buford T

Quote:
Originally Posted by geolopes
Hey Team: On 8 Feb 05, the Mass State Labor Relations Board opened the ballots. The newly formed "Leverett Police Assn." (LPA) was approved by a vote of 9-0 in favor. Contract negotiations will soon begin in earnest as LPA members have nearly completed their proposed contract for negotiation with the Selectboard. The SB had a special town meeting a few weeks ago where they had to ask the taxpayers for a $15,000 appropriation to pay for their labor lawyer's fee to negotiate with the LPA. They also had to ask them for more $$ owed to former Chief Bixby who they tried to screw during his disability hearings and final determination in his favor, which they fought every step of the way.
A public meeting is scheduled for wed, 16 Feb 7:00 PM at the Leverett Elementary School where members of the combined Leverett/Shutesbury Police Advisory Committees will talk to the taxpayers about the proposal to merge the two PD's. Should be interesting. Stay tuned.
Nothing like getting off on the right foot with the town...........


Posted by: DoD102

Hey geolopes;

How'd that meeting go on Wed? Will the depts merge or not? A union in Sunderland was the best thing we ever did. You need that protection in those small towns in Franklin Co.




Posted by: nightcopppa

Is Leverett PD a part time Dept.? If it is, I believe that they could possibly run into some problems. Brimfield turned around and laid off their entire Police Dept. after they decided to unionize. I could be wrong, but I believe that even if a union member on a part time Dept. files some sort of grievance, and it gets to an arbitrator, they will not rule on an issue involving a part time officer. My Dept. recently went union, and that was what was relayed to me by my union and by the towns counsel. Because of that, we did not include the part time officers in the union. It seemed senseless to make them pay the same dues that we pay if in the end, the union cannot protect them the same way that they protect the full timers.


Posted by: DoD102

Hey Bro;

We've had no problems in Sunderland with the part time officers being protected by the union. We are a full time dept., but our part time officers are union members too. They pay a percentage of the hours worked, not the full monthy fee. We have Local 404 Teamsters and they've been great. Made a huge difference in our pay and benefits especially for the P.T. officers. They are very vocal when it comes to protecting the PT officers as well. We've been fortunate. (?)


Posted by: frapmpd24

There are a lot of towns that have a mix of full and part-time union employees working throughout the government. It is not uncommon to have the city/town hall, highway, and fire departments employ part-time secretaries or other workers, all with union benefits and protection. I don't see why there would be any difference for the part-time police officers. If they pay the dues and are a legitimate union than I can't see where they would have an issue, with the exception some town administrators, selectmen, and chiefs having a problem because that is one more group to negotiate with and have to treat fairly.


Posted by: nightcopppa

I have heard it right from my union attorney's and from my towns attorney. If a part time grievance goes to an arbitrator for a ruling, they will not rule on an issue pertaining to a part time employee. In my eye's, it seems senseless to make a part time Officer pay dues to be a member of a union if even though they may have an issue they are correct in grieving, an arbitrator can not render a decision on. I'm not trying to rip on part timers, they are an essential part of our Dept.


Posted by: Macop

Nightcoppa It depends on the dept, I dont know what your lawyer buddies told ya, but it does NOT apply to all unions and all p/t officers. As sarge said the union was very protective of us and it was well worth the dues I paid when I was there. Union mebership means exactly that unless its part of the contract that p/t officers only have certain benefits then so be it, but in most cases p/t officers have the same benefites/protection as the f/t officers.

Hey Georgie whats up brotha, miss you guys, whats new.


Posted by: Macop

Good for L.P.D, I tired with the B.P.D but it fell thorugh.


Posted by: nightcopppa

MaCOP. First of all, I do not have any lawyer buddies. Please don't insult me. Second, I believe that is the law, not just how my union handles it. Check your facts and then respond. I do agree that P-timers do get some benefits from joining a union. Like knowing what their raises will be, and being able to see all of the benies and language in black and white. But what happens if the big man screws them over and they don't get what is written in the contract. What is their recourse if the town will not be bound by an arbitrators ruling?


Posted by: RPD931

Part-timer here. Memeber of the union too, pay the full weekly dues as full-timers and provided the same benefits of union coverage.


Posted by: DoD102

Macop;

Hey Brother;

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. Been activated again. Just got back to my civilian job on mids here. Things are ok in Sunderland. I'm not there too much anymore. Taking a break. Hows things out your way? Still like it I hope. I'll PM you shortly.

Be Safe;
G.L.


Posted by: DoD102

Hey geolopes, what happened with the merger?


Posted by: Tango16

There will be a town meeting on April 30th in Leverett to vote on the Shared Chief. Shutesbury will be voting the week afterward (not sure on the date). It will depend on who shows up to vote.

There are lots of rumors regarding what will be happening if it does not pass. The selectboard in Leverett has reporting approched a police officer from a larger town who lives in town about applying for the job. He turned them down. There are also rumors that a SGT from another town may be intrested in the job and he has many ties to Leverett.


Posted by: mpd61

Quote:
Originally Posted by nightcopppa";p=&quot View Post
Second, I believe that is the law, not just how my union handles it. Check your facts and then respond. What is their recourse if the town will not be bound by an arbitrators ruling?
I had two (2) part time/union jobs with FULL benefits including representation at all grievence levels (both state agencies) Don't tell people to "check facts" vs. your "I believe" Cite the law or STFU!



Posted by: Tango16

Quote:
There will be a town meeting on April 30th in Leverett to vote on the Shared Chief. Shutesbury will be voting the week afterward (not sure on the date). It will depend on who shows up to vote.

There are lots of rumors regarding what will be happening if it does not pass. The selectboard in Leverett has reporting approched a police officer from a larger town who lives in town about applying for the job. He turned them down. There are also rumors that a SGT from another town may be intrested in the job and he has many ties to Leverett.
The update

The Leverett selectboard's attempt at a shared Police Chief was put down at town meeting this morning. However they were able to get a changed to a "weak chief" passed.

The next move is to bring in their hand picked person from the north.


Posted by: DoD102

Do they have someone in mind? I just saw an ad in the Recorder for a Chief's position. Also changing to a weak chief is a bad move for the department. Good for the selectmen though.


Posted by: Tango16

Rumor is that the selectboard wants the former acting chief in Turners Falls. It think that it would be a huge pay cut for him. The chief is in the $48,000 range.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sarge439";p=&quot View Post
Do they have someone in mind? I just saw an ad in the Recorder for a Chief's position. Also changing to a weak chief is a bad move for the department. Good for the selectmen though.



Posted by: DoD102

Yeah but he's a local boy with ties to that town. Plus he's a good guy. I worked with him for years on MPD. The $$$ might not be a huge issue for him. Keep me posted and vice versa.




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