Naperville, cops working to settle labor dispute

The Naperville police union’s request for a hearing before the Illinois Labor Relations Board on charges city officials engaged in bad-faith bargaining during last fall’s contract negotiations has been delayed until Oct. 6.

Attorneys from both sides said they requested the hearing, originally scheduled for Thursday and today, be moved until October to allow them to settle the dispute among themselves. Neither, however, would discuss details.

“We’re going to sit down and try to resolve this thing,” city attorney Margo Ely said.

Tamara Cummings, general counsel for the union, said she’s eager to begin discussions to settle the dispute.

“We’re exchanging calendars now to get a date to talk,” Cummings said. “We’re going to go in with an open mind and see what we can accomplish.”

The complaint was filed early last November, less than a week after the city unveiled a new three-year contract with the police union and then immediately announced it couldn’t afford it without layoffs.

The layoffs were announced days after the city council approved the pact that gave officers raises of 3.3 percent for 2009-10 and 3 percent in both 2010-11 and 2011-12. The deal also included a 50 percent increase in police personnel health insurance premium contributions, to 15 percent from 10 percent of the total premium cost.

Members of the union, which represents 137 Naperville officers, argued the subject of layoffs never came up during negotiations and the final contract agreement was based entirely on the city’s own offer.

Since the complaint was filed, the city has rehired five of the six officers, but Cummings said the rehires, while appreciated, don’t change the basis for the original complaint.

“Our position and argument are the same but that action may impact how we can resolve this among ourselves.”