he PBA followed the PERB decision that came down late in the evening of June 27 with an immediate request to begin negotiating our next contract. The city responded to our request and the first negotiating session was held August 9 at which the PBA presented its list of demands. We asked the city to provide wage increases in amounts that will adhere to the standard articulated in the 1968 “Goldberg Award” that places New York City police officers among the highest paid in the nation. We cite the Goldberg award to ask for a comparable current salary schedule with the Port Authority police officers.

The next session was held on Sept. 20 at which time the city presented its demands. Once again the city states that any future wage increases shall be funded through productivity savings.

We continue to believe that the best way of settling our contract is through negotiating at the bargaining table. Since 9/11 we have shouldered a much heavier workload, more so than any other city agency, even though our ranks have diminished through attrition and through the inability to recruit new police officers. Still our members have received additional anti-terror training and have been supplied with new equipment and weaponry. We firmly believe that this added responsibility requires additional compensation. A recent PERB arbitration agreed, awarding expanded duty pay to New York State Trooper Investigators (and later to New York State Troopers) for taking on the additional burdens and responsibilities of anti-terrorism work.

We feel strongly that the increased workload and the diligent work that our members perform on a daily basis are the number one reasons that our city is safe from terrorist attack. We believe that this alone more than answers the city’s demand that wage increases be based on productivity.

Going into this round we also have the latest PERB decision, which supports the fact that New York City Police Officers be among the highest-paid in the nation.

We feel strongly that the increased workload and the diligent work that our members perform on a daily basis are the number one reasons that our city is safe from terrorist attack. We believe that this alone more than answers the city’s demand that wage increases be based on productivity.

Going into this round we also have the latest PERB decision, which supports the fact that New York City Police Officers be among the highest-paid in the nation.

We hope that this decision forms the basis for productive discussions with the city concerning our compensation structure. However, if the city does not bargain in good faith, we will be forced to look to PERB to resolve our contract issues. If that happens, this PBA administration is ready to build on the case that PERB chairman Eric Schmertz said was the most comprehensive… detailed” and “well tried” of the 10,000 grievances and interest arbitrations he has decided in his long career. We will build on some of the favorable findings he had for us such as:

While we hope this last pattern-breaking award will provide the impetus for the city to engage in real negotiations, this union stands ready to expend any and every effort to get our members a much needed and deserved wage increase.