Elk Grove Village police union drops complaint against mayor

The Elk Grove Village police union has dropped an unfair labor practice complaint claiming Mayor Craig Johnson used strong-arm tactics to coerce its members into agreeing to no pay increases last year.

The complaint, which had been scheduled to go before the Illinois Labor Relations Board, alleges Johnson also threatened to lay off up to 10 police officers if union members didn't comply with his demands.

The Metropolitan Alliance of Police Chapter No. 141 said Johnson held a “mandatory” March 30 meeting with all on-duty second- and third-shift police officers without any union representatives or the union's attorney.

At the time, the village and police union were negotiating to extend a contract expiring April 30, 2010. The village's public works, police and fire union employees ultimately agreed to forgo 3.25 percent pay raises that would have gone into effect May 1, 2010.

“They felt that I didn't have the ability to meet with the employees, and I felt that I did have the ability to meet with the employees,” Johnson said. “They dropped (the complaint) and we agreed to disagree. It was going to cost both sides money and at the end of the day nothing was going to happen, so we agreed to move on.”

According to the settlement agreement, “the village agrees that it does not have the legal right to threaten bargaining unit members or to hold captive audience meetings in a manner which will violate the provisions of the Illinois Labor Relations Act.”

The union's attorney could not be reached for comment.

Johnson said negotiations on a new police union contract will begin sometime this month. The contract expires in April 30.