Several important components are involved in the PBA's contract negotiation-and-arbitration process: the dedicated leadership of Pat Lynch and his executive board, the expertise of the union's legal staff, and the proficiency of the labor relations professionals we retain. But the most powerful and creative contributions come from the feelings, desires and demands of the membership as expressed through the 40 delegates who serve on the PBA contract committee.

Under the chairmanship of First Vice President John Puglissi, the committee holds meetings at PBA headquarters, more often when important contract-related events are occurring. Sessions usually begin with the chairman briefing the delegates on the latest developments and what's expected to happen in the immediate future. An extensive agenda invariably follows.

The primary purpose of the gathering is to establish an effective two-way communication process that keeps you informed of exactly what's being done on your behalf in negotiations and arbitrations and — more significantly — keeps PBA leadership focused on your highest priorities. At the meetings, attended by labor relations counsel, questions are answered and negotiating strategies proposed and debated. "The idea is to have an educated corps of delegates who can go out and explain to the membership what's being done and why it's being done during every step in the process," says PBA President Pat Lynch. "And delegates who can explain to our negotiators what our police officers want and need most."

"I've gotten very good feedback from the members," said 72 Pct. Delegate Ed Rabinowitz, a committee member for the past two years. "We've never had information like this before. Everybody in the command is aware that I'm going to a contract committee meeting before I go, and the next day they're all over me for information."

This fall, the meetings assume increased importance as the PBA begins negotiating a new contract on your behalf. This contract will replace the two-year pact that expired July 31, even before the arbitrated settlement was announced. With the recent PERB award, the PBA team of professionals, expert witnesses, board members and delegates managed to stop the hemorrhaging that had afflicted past contracts where we kept losing ground to police pay scales in other jurisdictions. Now we need to build on that modest accomplishment, and the contract committee's workings are a vital cog in the negotiating engine.

The delegates on the contract committee are a dedicated group who routinely sacrifice family and leisure time to work for the benefit of us all. Union solidarity and an active membership are the most effective tools for getting the best contract possible.

"I don't care what inconvenience I may have to go through to attend the meetings," said Delegate Rabinowitz. "I think it's worth it."