Smaller raises in Des Plaines police's 5-year contract
Des Plaines city officials and its largest police union have agreed to a new five-year labor agreement that comes more than two years after the old contract expired.
Negotiating teams for the city and the officers, represented by Metropolitan Alliance of Police Union Local 240, started discussions over a new contract in August 2011, months before the old three-year agreement was due to expire.
A majority of the 76-person union membership, which includes patrol officers, community action team officers, detectives, evidence technicians, school liaison officers and training officers, rejected a tentative agreement reached last year by the bargaining teams.
Both sides came to terms on a new agreement on May 12. It was ratified May 20 by the union membership and approved unanimously Monday night by the city council.
The contract is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2012, and runs through Dec. 31, 2016.
The initial agreement rejected by the rank-and-file would have cut specialty pay for officers, such as evidence technicians and detectives, but city officials agreed to go back to the table and maintain those stipends as is, according to Blaine Wing, the city's director of human resources.
In turn, the union agreed to lower-than-expected salary increases and changes in health and dental insurance and prescription drug costs.
A police union representative declined to comment on the contract.
Officers will receive salary increases of 2 percent retroactive to Jan. 1, 2012; 2.25 percent retroactive to Jan. 1, 2013; 2.25 percent retroactive to Jan. 1, 2014; 2.25 percent in 2015; and 2.5 percent in 2016.
Starting next month, officers enrolled in PPO plans will pay 12 percent of health and dental insurance premiums, an increase from the current 10 percent. Those in HMO plans will contribute 7 percent, up from 5 percent. The rates will match the cost-sharing percentages included in the city's five other labor union agreements, as well as the rates paid by nonunion city employees.
Also starting next month, officers will pay increased copays for prescription drugs, as well as a newly agreed to fourth tier for specialty medications.
There are currently no remaining outstanding city labor contracts in negotiations. A contract covering police sergeants and lieutenants expires at the end of this year.