Hoffman Estates seeks union concessions, warns of layoffs

Hoffman Estates officials have threatened to lay off five police officers if the department's union won't make labor concessions to help fill a $1.6 million budget hole.

The head of the local firefighters union, Dean Slater, said village officials have also warned his union that four to six firefighters could lose their jobs. The public works department union also was notified of possible layoffs.

Village Manager James Norris said it's premature to say layoffs will occur and that the village is looking at wage and benefit reductions as another option. But he said the economy is forcing their hand.

The village shed $8 million from its budget over the last 18 months, but, despite the cuts, this year has gotten worse, Norris said.

"Ultimately we hope that the unions would want to help and cooperate and recognize that this is not just a local issue, but a regional, state and national issue," he said.

Local police union President Flo Williams is angered by the proposed layoffs. She said the village wants to plug a $1.6 million to $1.8 million hole, which Mayor William McLeod confirmed.

Williams and Slater said village officials told them they want to trim about $400,000 from each of their departments' budgets. One officer's salary and benefits is worth about $108,000, Williams said.

Just last November, the police union's 78 members and the village agreed on a five-year contract that provides 4-percent annual raises.

The fire department union represents 93 firefighters. Their six-year contract expired last year and they're working under the terms of the old agreement. The public works contract expires this year.

Williams said the village is asking officers to give up a $750 annual uniform stipend and pay higher health insurance premiums.

Norris noted several village employees, including staff heads like himself, will forgo raises this year and the unions need to do their parts to help. He hopes to resolve the issues within 90 days.

But village workers have also pointed out that half the village board and the mayor are receiving raises this year. McLeod's salary jumps from $18,630 to $33,380, a 79.5-percent increase, and his stipend as liquor commissioner doubles, to $1,220. Pay for trustees elected this year grow from $6,000 to about $10,600.

McLeod pointed out that last time the village board raised the mayor's salary was in 1992, though budget documents show his pay did increase slightly each year.

McLeod also noted that police lieutenants, for example, earn more than $100,000. He said bringing up his pay is a negotiating tactic, and he's unsure how residents will react.

"I guess we'll find out when this gets printed in the paper," he said. "I think most people, quite frankly, in Hoffman think the mayor gets paid a pretty good salary."

Williams did say her union wants to work with the village in the trying economic times.

"We're not really opposed to making concessions," she said, "if they want to work with us and we get something different in return," such as offering more overtime and instituting a 12-hour work shift.

The village already decreased the number of staffed officers by four earlier this year, leaving open positions unfilled. The cuts make little sense to Williams, as the police department is set to move into roomier quarters next year when a new police stations is due to open.

"If you're short nine guys, I don't think you really need the extra locker space, do you?" she said.

Norris stressed the moves have nothing to do with the village's impending deal to take over the Sears Centre. The village is in talks to take over the slumping arena from its owners, the Ryan Companies. Monday, the village board is to be presented with requests for proposal that they intend to send out to at least four arena management firms as potential Sears Centre operators.