Streamwood inks new contract with police union

Streamwood officials have approved a new contract with the union representing police officers below the rank of sergeant after lengthy negotiations deadlocked over wages.

The three-year contract provides annual pay raises for the 44 officers represented by the Metropolitan Alliance of Police.

The union members will receive a 2 percent increase to their base salaries retroactive to Jan. 1, 2013; a 2.35 percent increase retroactive to Jan. 1, 2014; and a 2.75 percent increase on Jan. 1, 2015.

Representatives for the village and the union began negotiating in early 2013. After talks reached an impasse on one issue - compensation - both sides met with a federal arbitrator March 24. The arbitrator, Peter Meyers, was required to pick either the village or the union's final offer. Meyers sided with the union.

The village's proposal provided annual pay raises of 2.25 percent. For anyone hired under the new pact, Streamwood officials also sought to increase the number of years - from six to seven - it takes officers to reach top pay.

Since the recession, Streamwood officials have brokered deals that lowered starting pay and added steps to the salary schedule for firefighters, public works employees and members of two other bargaining units, Village Manager Gary O'Rourke said.

The arbitrator rejected the village's argument that the proposed changes to the schedule would create "internal comparability and harmony" among its other union members and employees, saying there's no comparison, according to the ruling.

The new police contract leaves the salary schedule unchanged and keeps annual, merit-based step increases worth 5.25 percent of base pay, O'Rourke said.

The starting salary for an officer at the bottom of the pay scale is now $63,191, while an officer at the top gets $85,898 a year, O'Rourke said.

Early on in talks, both sides agreed to raise the uniform allowance by $50.

The contract applies to officers in the department's patrol and tactical units, as well as detectives.

An attorney for the Metropolitan Alliance of Police did not immediately return calls seeking comment.