PRESS RELEASE

July 23, 2010

Orlando, FL

Orlando Police Vote

to Give Up Raises in 2010 and 2011

The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 25 (FOP), representing Orlando Police Officers and Sergeants, conducted a vote on a replacement Agreement which will give up an across the board pay increase this year valued at $1.5 million. Officers voted to forgo further raises until 2012. In 2009 Orlando Police Officers lost $2 million in overtime and line-up pay along with increased vehicle usage fees.

Based on the deficit crisis, currently at $24 million, faced by the City of Orlando and the continuing loss of property values along with double-digit unemployment rates the officers felt it was their duty to demonstrate leadership and commitment to the community they serve by holding the line on pay increases.

The Police Department has lost 50 positions to budget cuts and with increasing attrition rates along with a slow down in hiring, the force is now at it’s lowest level in two years. Officers are concerned about the prospect of further reductions in their ranks and hope that their sacrifices at the bargaining table will result in no further personnel reductions.

This approval of the new Agreement now goes to the City Council for approval on Monday, July 26, 2010. Please contact the FOP Labor Committee Office at (407) 317-9029 for additional information.

The Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #25 (FOP) and the City of Orlando met in an all day session last Friday to discuss the possible replacement of the current Agreement. These discussions commenced after a series of informational meetings were conducted with bargaining unit members who voted, 216-23, to approve exploring a proposed replacement Agreement.

The proposed replacement Agreement is accessible from our website (see links below) for your review and on Google (a link will be sent to you the via Department email system for this site). If you experience problems with opening the documents please contact Brian Cechowski at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

When you open the documents you will find a red lined Contract identifying the changes, all other information in the contract remains the same. A second document will be the highlighted signed tentative agreement between the parties, all contingent upon approval of bargaining unit members and City Council.

A vote will be conducted this Thursday and Friday, July 22nd and 23rd. Voting will be held at OPH on both days from 0600 - 1830, and at the Airport both days from 1700-1900. You may also stop by the FOP office Tuesday and Wednesday (21st & 22nd) between 0900-1630 to vote early. All members of the bargaining unit are eligible to vote. Exempt management and management members are not permitted by law to vote. Copies of the proposed replacement Agreement will be available at the polling locations.

If approved by the bargaining unit the City Council would then vote and if approved the new Agreement would be in effect the next day for a three year period. If not approved by the bargaining unit or the City Council the current Agreement would remain in force until September 30, 2011.

The FOP recommends approval of the replacement Agreement.

The links below will take you to each of the documents in PDF format.

* A scribners error was found in the first sentence of the last paragraph of Article #41.9 (Promotions). The original document presented to members read as follows:  "Any candidate who has made the promotions list (i.e. scored at least 70 percent or is in the top fifty (50) scores) and who has completed five years of service..."

The text between the parentheces has now been stricken as was originally intended.  The links below contain the corrected PDF documents.

http://www.fop25.com/foppdfs/FOP-CBA-2010-13-Redline.pdf

http://www.fop25.com/foppdfs/FOP-CBA-2010-2013.pdf

http://www.fop25.com/foppdfs/Memorandum_of_Understanding.pdf