Statement from Prospect Hts. police union

Over the last few days the City of Prospect Heights has taken great pride in blaming the Metropolitan Alliance of Police (MAP) for getting six police officers laid off.

They continually claim they reached an agreement with the union but the union refused to sign it. I would like to clarify a few things. MAP did not lay off the six officers, the city did.

There are collective bargaining agreements in place covering both the patrol officers and the sergeants. These are agreements the city negotiated with the union and agreed to. The city violated these agreements by forcing officers and sergeants to take mandatory furlough days. The sergeants and patrol officers filed grievances over the contract violations, but the city continued the furloughs and forced the matter to arbitration. The arbitrator ruled the city did in fact violate the collective bargaining agreements.

After the arbitrator's ruling, the city immediately moved to lay off the officers.

On Oct. 28, 2010 the city issued a news release saying the union and the city had reached an agreement to avoid layoffs. There was never such an agreement.

To the contrary, the city demanded to continue furloughs and for the union to drop all other pending litigation against them. In addition it demanded the union's approval to lay off six officers after May 1, 2011 if no additional concessions could be reached.

No union in its right mind would agree to such demands. The city obviously issued this news release in an effort to pressure MAP to accept these ridiculous demands.

MAP is in the process of negotiating new collective bargaining agreements with the city for our officers and sergeants. This problem needs to be settled at the negotiation table and that settlement put in a collective bargaining agreement.

On Nov. 2, 2010 MAP did agree to allow the city to furlough officers temporarily until Nov. 13, 2010. We thought this would allow us to meet with the city at the negotiation table.

We advised the city we were available to meet with them on Nov. 4, 2010 at 4 p.m. When MAP did not received a confirmation from the city about the meeting, MAP's attorney, Jerry Marzullo contacted the city's attorney. The city's attorney responded saying she did not think there was any meeting but she was available on Monday Nov. 8, 2010 at 10 a.m. We were moving forward on scheduling this meeting when the city terminated the officers.

The Metropolitan Alliance of Police continues to be willing to reach a negotiated agreement with the city over this matter. It is the city who refuses to discuss matters. Their refusal will force MAP to file more litigation against the city which will probably cost them more money than they are saving with the layoffs.

The citizens of Prospect Heights should note, the city is blaming the arbitration decision and MAP for the layoffs. Long before the officers filed the grievances the city was reducing your police department. Long before the arbitrator handed down his decision the city put a “Sorry, We're Closed “sign on the front door of the police department.

Long before the layoff of six officers the department was reduced to a level where the chief and command officers had to work patrol beats and handle routine calls. The layoff of these six officers has reduced your police department to a level where you seriously have to consider the possibility there will not be a sufficient number of officers working to respond to your 911 call.

MAP did not violate the collective bargaining agreements, the city did.

MAP is not responsible for the city's financial situation, the city is.

The Metropolitan Alliance of Police is not responsible for the layoff of six Prospect Heights police officers, the city is.

Richard Tracy, Executive Board

Metropolitan Alliance of Police