Capitol cops get contract

One-third more pay, other benefits granted under first labor pact

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Untitled Document After more than 10 months of contract negotiations and with assistance from a mediator, the secretary of state’s office and the union representing Capitol police officers reached a tentative agreement last week. Their first since joining the Policemen’s Benevolent Labor Committee last August [see R.L. Nave, “Capitol police unionize,” Sept. 7], the contract provides officers of the 55-member force an immediate 36 percent pay increase, effective July 1, raising their base salary to $45,612 per year. On Jan. 1 of next year, the officers will receive an additional 2 percent, followed by a series of 3 percent raises each July through 2010 until starting pay reaches $50,839. Officers will also receive a lump payment of $6,000 worth of back pay.
Union members ratified the agreement in a 53-1 vote, says Sean Smoot, PBLC co-director.
Smoot adds that among the benefits secured under the agreement, officers can now bid on what shifts they’ll work.
He says that the issue going forward will be longevity — bonus pay based on years of service — which his members did not obtain in this agreement because everyone’s hire date is the same.
“It was a tremendous deal for a first contract,” Smoot says. “I don’t know what your experience is dealing with police officers, but it’s often difficult to get two of them to agree on anything, so to have 53 of 54 members who were present agree, they must have been pretty happy.”
From the beginning, officers wanted equal pay to that of other state police agencies, but, Smoot says, the Capitol officers will not achieve full parity with similar departments, such as the Illinois State Police and the Department of Natural Resources’ conservation police officers, until the final year of the contract. Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed the legislation that created the force of armed officers in 2004 after the death of William Wozniak, an unarmed security guard, in a shooting inside the Capitol.
Talks between the PBLC and Secretary of State Jesse White’s office began last fall, but Smoot says last year’s election cycle made scheduling meetings difficult. Dave Druker, a spokesman for White, says that the Secretary of State’s office is “very pleased” that a deal has been reached. The officers will participate in a formal signing ceremony with White at his office in the Capitol.

Contact R.L. Nave at [email protected]

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