The relationship between a union and the management of the employees it represents is never a harmonious one. Doesn’t matter the industry or organization, unions and employers are as pre-destined to bicker and squabble as are Foghorn Leghorn and the chicken hawk.
But I say, I, I say, I don’t reckon Foghorn has taken to Facebook to toss out little bon mots of angst and discontent. And because of that, we’re not blogging about that rascally rooster and his arch nemesis.
We’re instead talking about the Tucson Police Officer’s Association, which describes itself on Facebook as the “professional bargaining unit” for Tucson cops.
I’m no expert in negotiation — except when it comes to trying to convince a slowly dwindling field of poker players it’s better to chop up the prize pool now than risk getting nothing — but I wonder what TPOA’s motivation was for this:
Aside from the fact it is publicizing that a nearby, competing police department is hiring, it’s noting that current TPD officers would be wise to bolt from the city for greener pastures elsewhere.
However, if one compares the compensation schedules for Tucson and Marana, TPOA’s claim that Tucson doesn’t pay well enough to retain officers appears false. The starting hourly rate for TPD officers is $22.10, while Marana’s is $20.39. The maximum hourly rate in Tucson is $29.61, in Marana it’s $28.69.
So, less is more?
True, most Tucson employees (police or not) have gotten but one 1-percent raise in the past several years, while Marana and other nearby municipalities have been a little more generous with their pay bumps. But to contend that the city’s pay scale is making its police department a breeding ground for other agencies seems unfounded, at least locally.
This article appears in Jan 3-9, 2013.
TPOA’s sly lament cited by Brian J. Pedersen also refers to Phoenix Valley (that is, Maricopaland) yet Wick’s Brian J. Pedersen only provides numbers and analysis for Marana, a foul place that nevertheless is not yet part of Maricopaland. How does wage and non-wage compensation for these unfortunate people compare with Maricopaland? It’s difficult to understand labor mobility without bringing in all the numbers and factors…
Tucson Police Officer’s Association
Which police officer does this association represent?
It’s kind of hard for reporters who have never been in a union, whether a white collar union such as CWA/TNG, or blue collar — steel workers, mine workers, auto workers, plumbers — to get the full grasp of what a union is all about.
what you fail to realize is tpd has not given step increases to officers in years. as a lateral officer the pay is based on years of experience. an officer in tpd with 5 years still gets paid the same as an officer that was just hired. if the officer switches to marana he will get a substantial pay raise and future raises. as far as topping out in the tpd pay schedule it does not happen if there are no pay increases at all.
Bottom line for me – is the Union going to cost the TAXpayer? Is the contract going to put the county in debt in the end don’t want to end of like Calif – if so ditch all union officers NOW
The above commenters all bring up good points.
An other recent issue is: How well are the police paid as it
relates to response time performance. Are they given bonus
points for “response time” to emergency type calls. And then
paid in each pay peiod for each bonus point earned.
(“response time” equals total seconds from time of 911 call to
time the police arrival on site with action.)
The police receive receive many (could be in the thousands) 911
calls. Lets support them.