JURISDICTION

THE MONEY

THE DETAILS

Lawrence, Massachusetts Police and Fire Department

• 1.5% annually for four years expiring in 2010

• The new contract is described as “taxpayer neutral” because it relies, in part, on accumulated money in a $12 million health care trust fund, which is subsidized by 80% contributions from the City and 20% by employees.

Milpitas, California Fire Department

• April 12, 2009, 3%
• January 1, 2010, 3%
• January 1, 2011, 3%

• The contract allows 56-hour-workweek employees in their first year to earn three weeks of vacation; 15-year to 19-year employees to get six weeks of vacation per year; and 20-year to 24-year employees to get 7.2 weeks of vacation per year. Veterans with 27 or more years revert to accruing less than one week of vacation per year.

North Haven, Connecticut Police Department (This entry was incorrectly identified as the New Haven Police Department in the April 2009 issue.)

• 3.5% annual raises from July 1, 2007, to June 30, 2011

• Officer health insurance contributions will rise from $250 a year to 6% of the total premium per member. An officer with a family plan would pay about $1,100 a year.

Norwich, Connecticut Police Department

• July 1, 2007, 1.5%
• July 1, 2008, 4%
• July 1, 2009, 4%
• July 1, 2010, 2%

• Under the new agreement, an officer who leaves the Department within three years now must reimburse the City $15,000 for his or her training expenses.

San Diego, California Fire Department

• No raises@

• The two-year agreement, which requires firefighters to give up all holiday hours, reduces the uniform allowance and eliminates the City’s retirement pick-up, amounts to a 6% cut in compensation for firefighters.

Tulsa, Oklahoma Police Department

• January 1, 2009, 3%

• Arbitrated contract. Arbitration panel ruled that officers living within a certain distance of the city could continue driving their patrol cars home. City officials wanted take-home vehicles restricted to officers who live within Tulsa’s borders.