Aurora, officers agree on concessions

Aurora and its roughly 240 members of the Association of Professional Police Officers have agreed to concessions that will prevent police layoffs in 2010.

The deal was reached after a vote Jan. 21 and 22, association attorney Craig Mielke said Friday. Union members agreed to cut their reporting time compensation from 20 minutes to 10 minutes per shift and to give back half of their annual $2,100 clothing allowance.

City officials predict the agreement will save about $833,000. With the new agreement concerning the early reporting time requirement and pay for management ranks of sergeants, lieutenants and commanders, concessions for 2010 from both APPO and police management total roughly $1.04 million.

City spokesman Dan Ferrelli said the reporting time compensation and uniform allowance will revert to 20 minutes and about $2,100 respectively on Jan. 1, 2011.

The association's current collective bargaining agreement with the city expires in March. Both parties agreed to continue negotiations for a multiyear contract and, in case of an impasse, the only issues to be submitted to arbitration from Jan. 1, 2011 forward will be wages and health insurance.

"It's a good agreement that included both sides giving up some things for the betterment of the city," Mielke said.

In a written statement, Mayor Tom Weisner also complimented the officers.

"The police officers who protect our city are truly second to none," Weisner said. "Their willingness to help the city during these difficult financial times shows their dedication and commitment to the citizens of Aurora."

A vote taken in late December 2009 by the union rejected similar concessions.

The association is the latest bargaining unit to agree to concessions with the city. Aurora Firefighters Local 99, city electricians and supervisors, AFSCME locals 1514 and 3298, and the Aurora Fire Officers Association all reached agreements late last year.

With the new agreement, the city will have cut about $7.2 million in personnel costs for the current year. Concessions reached with the various bargaining units account for about $2.2 million of that total. The remaining $5 million was achieved through voluntary and involuntary layoffs in 2009.