Huber Heights’ police force is continuing to operate as usual, but under the terms of the expired previous contract pending approval of a new one.
FOP representative Rick Paquette noted the union’s current agreement with the city of Huber Heights prohibits any striking or work stoppage, as well as the lock out of any employees.
Earlier this week, Huber Heights council voted to reject the fact-finding recommendations, with Interim City Manager Bryan Chodkowski citing a lack of time to adequately review the report as the main reason for rejection. The FOP had accepted the report.
According to Chodkowski, both the city and FOP were given six days to review the report and make a decision to accept or reject the recommendations. He said the city needed more time to determine potential “cost implications” of the suggested contract provisions.
“We need to understand what the complex, long-term implications of the fact-finder’s recommendations would be, and six days just wasn’t enough time to do that,” he said. “So, the whole point of the (rejection) was just to buy time.”
On the issue of compensation, the FOP proposed a “market adjustment” of $3.75 per hour on each step of the wage scale, retroactive to the beginning of January 2023, as well as a 2.75% wage increase, effective beginning in January 2024. The union also suggested a re-opener agreement to revisit compensation negotiations for the subsequent year.
The city countered with a proposal for a 2.75% wage increase, effective beginning in January of this year, along with a 2.75% increase annually through 2025.
The FOP cites inflation as a reason for its wage increase requests, and claims the city is in good financial standing to afford the increases. The city claims the proposal for a market rate adjustment is “simply not affordable,” the fact-finder report shows.
In May of this year, Huber Heights voters turned down the renewal of a 10-year, 0.25% earned income tax — a tax levy that has funded fire, police, and emergency medical services since its initial passage in 2014. But that tax does not expire until the end of 2024, and the city will likely place the renewal request on the ballot again this November.
The 0.25% part of the city income tax is one of two public safety levies in place. The other is set to expire a year later in 2025.
“What happens if these tax measure (renewals) fail?” Chodkowski said, noting that this could potentially lead to layoffs and an inability to maintain adequate service levels if a new contract guaranteed wages that the city subsequently couldn’t afford to pay.
The fact-finder recommended a 2.75% wage increase, retroactively effective January 2023; a market rate adjustment of $1 per hour beginning July 1, 2023; a 2.75% wage increase beginning January 2024; and a 2.65% wage increase beginning January 2025.
Another proposal by the FOP included a provision that would require the city to replace various personal items lost or damaged during work-related activity, which would include things like watches, cell phones, sunglasses, and similar items.
The city agreed to this proposal, with a limit of $400 per calendar year. The fact-finder’s recommended provision is to allow replacement of items up to $500 per year outside of what may be covered by workers’ compensation.
The fact-finder recommended no changes to the previous contract’s provisions regarding hours of work. Documents state both parties agreed to adding the Juneteenth holiday to the schedule, and to increase the one-half day Christmas Eve holiday to one full day.
According to Chodkowski, the city and FOP have 30 days from the date of rejection to work out a contract before negotiations enter into conciliation, or binding arbitration, during which an arbitrator would decide the outcome.
Paquette reiterated the FOP’s acceptance of the fact-finder’s recommendations and stated a new contract will likely be determined through the conciliation process.
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