Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The City Council unanimously agreed Tuesday to police contract concessions and changes that will afford the city enough savings to bring back the 13 officers laid off in October.

The mayor called it historic.

"This whole long ordeal was about money," Mayor Joseph S. Larisa said before Tuesday's vote. The union unanimously agreed Oct. 28. "We're fighting every day to avoid a double-digit tax increase... This is a historic agreement and I couldn't be happier," Larisa said.

City Manager Richard Brown said it was a "win for both sides," but Detective John Rossi, president of Local 569 of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, said the agreement could have come months, avoiding layoffs.

Rossi said because of the layoffs, at least one officer won't be returning because he has taken a job with the Warwick Police Department. Two more also have job offers elsewhere.

The changes to the contract, which expires October 2010, include the officers giving up their next six holidays. The savings equates to the officers' 3-percent raise, making it a wash, Larisa said. The officers also agreed to give up their annual uniform payments for two years.

The patrol division will handle community policing responsibilities and the city agreed to maintain a 90-officer staffing level.

In addition, union members will increase health-care contributions from $16 to $20 a week -- a rate they would have paid in 2012 with the previous agreement -- for most of the current officers. Weekly rates of $32, $35 and $40 were set for the newer officers for this and the next two years.

Anyone hired after this agreement will be enrolled in a Blue Cross health-care savings account, which, according to Cusack, tends to cost the city 30 percent less than a traditional health-care program. Larisa said the officers pay 10 percent of the insurance premium for the individual and family plans, and then additionally contribute $2,000 for an individual plan or $4,000 for a family plan.

Cusack said the health-care savings account plan will be offered to all officers and it is "better for the young and healthy."

An enhanced early-retirement package is also being offered to the officers. They have until March 1 to decide, and Rossi believes a half dozen or more may take the deal.

 Tags  East Providence RI economy Local 569 of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers

Comments

AJ said:

It doesn't matter really. More layoffs are coming. It's just a question of time as the state/city/towne meltdown continues!!

Link | November 4, 2009 3:00 PM
Report Abuse

---

Townie Pride said:

Thank you thank you thank you Mayor Larisa and Cusack and Perry. You hung firm for we the taxpayers and now the police budget is cut more than $600k over last year and their numbers are going down to 90 from 99 or 100 I think. the big union guys will scream but OUR council saved the day on this one. I also want to thank the police union for finally after the layoffs agreeing to the cuts the taxpeyers needed!

Link | November 4, 2009 3:13 PM
Report Abuse

---

Leave a comment

Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish.

Name:

Email:

URL:  

Remember personal info?

Captcha:

Type the characters you see in the picture above.