FLASH! The Common Council will consider ratification of a Stipulation of Agreement with the White Plains Police Monday who have been without a contract for three years. The 6-YEAR agreement runs from 2012-13 through June, 2018 and gives police 2% raises for the first four years of the contract, 2.25% the fifth year(2016-17) and 2.5% the sixth year (2017-18) The raises outdistance the fire union contract for the retroactive years, when the fire department agreed to two years of no raises and three years of 2% increases.

As of Saturday morning, the Mayor’s Office and the White Plains Police Benvolent Association, the bargaining unit for the police have not released statements to WPCNR .

In examining the proposed agreement, WPCNR notes the city has negotiated police agreements calling for officers to pay a portion of their health care benefits going forward, as follows:

The city will continue to pay all premium cost of family coverage under the NYS Empire Health Insurance Program, except employees hired after June 28, 1991 and before the ratification of the 2012-2018 agreement will be required to pay 25% of the cost of health premiums for their first five years of employment with the city.

For new officers hired after ratification, they will be required to pay 15% of the premium charged for individual or family coverage.

Retirees hired after July 1, 1995, and before ratification of the new agreement, who currently are receiving fully paid health benefits in retirement will continue to enjoy that retirement benefit. The same 100% payment by the city will also continue to apply for those hired before July 1, 1995 and retiring after ratification of the new contract. 

The agreement saves 45  WPBA union retirees who retired after July 1, 1995 before the city payment of 100% of  health plan payments agreement went into affect.

The agreement does not affect the 30 police retirees involved in the federal lawsuit against the city which said that because they were not covered by the July 1, 1995 agreement that they would have to pay 15% of their retirement health care benefits. That suit is still on going in federal court.

Preliminary details are  that step salary increases will be increased 2% each year for first three years of the contract. In July 2016 the step salary increase will be 2.25% and an additional 2.5% in July 2017.

Longevity payments for employees hired on or after July 1, 2015 will receive in addition to regular salary of 3% plus $350 at 10 years of service on the force and 4% plus $350 at 15 years, but payment will begin as of July 1st of each year following eligibility.

The agreement has already been ratified by the White Plains Patrolman’s Benevolent Association according to the city backup material.

The Fire Fighters unit, on the other hand, agreed to two years of no salary step increases in 2012-13 with the city, and 2013-14, AND agreed to three 2% increases. The police through arbitration agreed to accept two zeros but now with this new agreement ratified by the police union, they have negotiated 2% raises for the last 3 years, and 2%, 2-1/4% and 2-1/2% for 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18