by Ron DeLord | May 31, 2016 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Police, Politics, Unions
The Anchorage Assembly voted to significantly boost pay for senior-level cops and firefighters Tuesday night, a move aimed at fixing a situation where a promotion from a union job in either department means a sharp pay cut. The vote was 8-3. Assembly members Elvi...
by Ron DeLord | May 31, 2016 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Police, Politics, Unions
Oxnard’s rocky negotiations with its fire and police unions have hit what might be a first: impasse. The city on May 6 declared impasse with the two public safety groups, said Human Resources Director Tabin Cosio. On May 18, it declared impasse with a third...
by Ron DeLord | May 31, 2016 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Police, Politics, Public Employees (Non-Sworn), Unions
Fully recovered from a financial crisis during the late 2000s, Miami commissioners are finally restoring the pay and benefits they unilaterally stripped from their employees in order to balance their books — and giving budget crunchers heartburn in the process. Taking...
by Ron DeLord | May 31, 2016 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Police, Politics, Public Employees (Non-Sworn), Unions
On May 10, the Arizona Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that could provide a roadmap to eliminate a persistent form of government waste in nearly all 50 states. At issue is the practice of union release time, which allows government employees paid time off...
by Ron DeLord | May 31, 2016 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Pensions, Politics, Unions
May 22–Eleven firefighters received pension payments exceeding $500,000 last year, and all of them did so by taking part in a little-known loophole in one of San Diego’s most controversial employee benefit programs. The Deferred Retirement Option Plan, or...
by Ron DeLord | May 31, 2016 | Fire, Labor, Pensions, Police, Politics, Public Employees (Non-Sworn), Unions
So if you don’t live in Irwindale, rejoice: There, even when you look at it through rose-colored glasses, public pension liabilities equal $32,447 for each and every household in the city. Slap on a skeptic’s glasses, and that load skyrockets to $134,907 per...
