Possible Police Union Error Could Cost At Negotiating Table

By Chuck Sudo in News on Mar 28, 2012 2:45PM

A possible clerical error by the Fraternal Order of Police could be used to Mayor Rahm Emanuel's advantage when the two sides meet to negotiate a new contract later this year.

City Hall says FOP President Mike Shields missed a March 1 deadline to inform the city they were exercising their right to terminate the current contract. Shields insists he informed the city well before the deadline.

If Shield missed the deadline, the city can use it to wait until next year to negotiate a new contract—and rescind a proposed pay raise this year. Given Emanuel's hard line stance against labor since he took office last May, that wouldn't be unexpected. the city's contracts with police and firefighters expires June 30, and unions representing the firefighters and police captains, lieutenants and sergeants notified the city of their intentions ahead of time.

Emanuel is expected to target items that would cut taxpayer costs, specifically a sick leave policy that affords police rank-and-file 365 days off every two years. They also have an annual $1,800 uniform allowance and a $2,800 annual availability pay for bein on call at any time.

Shields, in an email to the Sun-Times, said his letter to the city was within the time frame required.

“There is no issue . . . regarding the FOP’s intent to modify the terms and conditions of the labor agreement that expires June 30,” he wrote. “While others may believe that negotiations should be about technicalities and posturing, the FOP believes the upcoming negotiations . . . should be about protecting the citizens of Chicago while respecting the incredible work performed by members of the FOP. The difficult issues out there like manpower need to be resolved by both sides sitting down to make the city safer.”

This may not be the best time to anger the FOP, with the NATO summit fast approaching. Remember, police staged a protest when the site selection committee for the 2016 Olympics visited Chicago specifically timed to embarrass former Mayor Richard M. Daley.

The anonymous cop blogger Second City Cop, who for better or worse has the pulse of the police rank-and-file, calls Shields' possible error a "Grade-A fuck up" and wonders "what the FOP is going to have to give up in order to make things right."