Police Union calls Mayor an extortionist

[RecycleMichael]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20100111_11_0_reaetr875983

Tulsa police union blasts mayor's hardline approach

[/i]By BRIAN BARBER World Staff Writer
Published: 1/11/2010 

Tulsa's police union and the Black Officers Coalition compared Mayor Dewey Bartlett to an extortionist Monday for his ultimatum that officers give up concessions or sustain mass layoffs. "The mayor will push scores of our officers to the brink of financial and career destruction, then demand that their comrades pay for their salvation or bear the responsibility for their fate," the groups said in a news release distributed at a press conference. "Though this is not extortion, an extortionist could not do it any better."

But Bartlett in a phone interview said the officers should appreciate having a choice, rather than have the funding solution forced upon them. "I have a contract to follow with the union, and it says layoffs is the route I have to follow," he said. "They have to change that course."

The Police Department is faced with cutting $3.4 million for the rest of the fiscal year and could lose as many as 135 of its 808-member force. Officers often refer to themselves as a brotherhood and treat each other as family, Bartlett said. "Here's a good opportunity for that to be expressed," he said. "Concessions have to be agreed upon. If they are not, a lot of their brothers and sisters will lose their jobs. They will be  faced with not having paychecks or medical benefits.

"I'm pleading with the union to think about their fellow employees. I would hate to be someone who turned to his or her co-workers and said, 'Hey I'm sorry, but I'm looking out for myself.'"  Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 93 Trustee Ryan Perkins said at the press conference at the Greenwood Cultural Center said this tactic is like "holding a gun to the head" of officers' careers and then asking for ransom. He encouraged citizens to make contact with their municipal elected officials to weigh in.

Bartlett said he will present lists of concessions to both the police and fire unions by mid-week. The Fire Department is facing $2.5 million in cuts and could have 130 firefighter layoffs. On the lists will be potential salary cuts along with other financial benefits contain in the contracts, including payments for advanced degrees, length of service, bilingual skills and uniforms, among others.

The police union wants formal negotiations to be opened, Perkins said, allowing some back and forth with the mayor. But Bartlett said that could be a weeks- or even months-long process that the city doesn't have time for in this budget crisis. Action must be taken soon so that the $8 million to $10 million budget hole doesn't grow.

"We could be negotiating until the cows come home," he said. "That would make it so much worse for everyone else. We have to address this problem now." Perkins said this is "an artificial timeline" and that it will take time for the union to seriously consider any concessions. "(The mayor) has created a situation where he can layoff officers and then blame it on the union," Perkins said.

Many officers whose jobs are not at risk "are looking for an exit strategy because they don't trust this administration," he said. Bartlett asked Chief Ron Palmer to revise the department's budget plan to thin out the upper ranks of the force, calling it "top heavy." The mayor also said he doesn't want to see the officers on the street bearing the brunt of the cuts. Palmer found that forcing demotions—or bump downs to lower levels of rank and pay— doesn't produce much in immediate savings and could trigger the filing of employee grievances.

The chief did, however, present a multiyear plan to reduce the supervisor ranks from 201 to 97 positions. Bartlett said this approach would take a decade and be "too little too late." "His plan is a non-starter. I think we have to take a much more aggressive stance," he said. "It should have happened many years ago."

Black Officers Coalition President Tyrone Lynn at the press conference said that layoffs  would have a devastating impact on minorities groups on the force. "This would roll back diversity at least 30 years, for sure," he said. "And we're not where we need to be right now."

Of the layoffs that are on the table, it would effect 11 of the 89 white female officers, 14 of the 86 black officers, 13 of the 78 American Indian officers, three of the Asian officers and four of the 15 Hispanic officers. Bartlett said that layoffs must happen through specific processes laid out by the Civil Service Commission, the City Charter and the police contract. The race of an employee is not a factor. [/i]

[RecycleMichael]

This seems so over the top to me.

How does a 4.4% budget cut become financial and career destruction?

And I still don't get the math. The story says a 4.4% budget cut could mean layoffs to 135 officers. $25,000 per officer? The starting pay and benefits are three times that per officer.

808 officers and a $86 million budget works out to $106,000 per officer. That would be more like 35 officers.

[Nik]

More than just officer pay is includes in the budget. There's alot of overhead

[Red Arrow]

11 of 89 White Females = 12.4%
14 of 86 Blacks = 16.3%
13 of 78 American Indians = 16.7%
3 of ? Asians = ?%
4 of 15 Hispanics = 26.7%
Total minorities listed = 45 (including Asians) of 268 (not including Asians) = 16.7 %

135 - 45 = 90 White males to be let go
808 - 268 = 540 White males
90 of 540 = 16.7% White males

Adding the number of Asians to the 268 other minorities would decrease the percentage of minorities to be let go. Subtracting the same number from the 540 White males (obtained by including the unknown number of Asians in the White male count), increases the percentage of White males to be let go.

Depending on the total number of Asian officers, it looks like the group with the biggest legitimate gripe is the Hispanics.

[tulsa_fan]

I'm sure a lot of you don't agree with the Union's position, but I don't agree with the Mayor's either.  He has not met with the Union to discuss their options, he has not attempted to negotiate (which he is required to do, unless he just wants to layoff, which he knows is a bad move)  I know MH has said it on here, and I have heard many officers say it, they would take some kind of across the board pay cut, or some concessions, but there has to be something coming from the mayor's side, some kind of dialogue.  There has been nothing.  I was at the council meeting, he told the councilors he would have his proposal to the union on Friday, monday morning at the latest, but now today, he says maybe mid-week.  And he plans on laying people off on Friday.  There is no way the union can meet, address the issues, make recommendations and vote on anything.  Instead the mayor just wants to put all the blame on the unions.  It's getting old. 

Where are his ideas, the only thing coming from him is cut, cut, cut.  Cutting can be good and if he shows an ounce of good faith, I think people will follow, but what about finding alternative revenue sources?  What about immediately requiring the BOK center to pay for its own security?  The city has money, it just has messed up priorities.  At least I get the impression Christianson and Bynum are looking at options, researching ideas, trying to find a way to bridge the gap with the city until things turn around. 

I've never been more disappointed in Tulsa's leadership, and this isn't just limited to Police and Fire, it's all city employees.  The money is there, use it wisely, and I think we can make it until things improve. 

[pmcalk]

This seems so over the top to me.

How does a 4.4% budget cut become financial and career destruction?

And I still don't get the math. The story says a 3.4% budget cut could mean layoffs to 135 officers. $25,000 per officer? The starting pay and benefits are three times that per officer.

808 officers and a $86 million budget works out to $106,000 per officer. That would be more like 35 officers.

Where did you get your math?  The starting pay of a police officer is $43,000.  Are you saying they receive $32,000 in benfits?  Where did you get that number?

[rwarn17588]

I heard the FOP flack on KRMG this morning, and his statements were every bit as hyperbolic and stupid as in the paper.

If he thinks the mayor is engaging in "extortion," then he'd better arrest him, or the FOP had better read Oklahoma statutes book more closely. If you keep yelling "fire" in a crowded theater, pretty soon people aren't going to take you seriously.

[RecycleMichael]

Where did you get your math?  The starting pay of a police officer is $43,000.  Are you saying they receive $32,000 in benfits?  Where did you get that number?

The starting pay is $43,744.26.
The general city benefits package is 50% for another $21,300 (on average).

That makes $65,000. Tulsa officers also make $100 per month if they have a bachelor's degree (now required). Officers also get an annual $625 uniform allowance and $100 a month bilingual pay. There is an allowance of $50 per year to replace a wristwatch and $150 a year to replace eyeglasses.

[RecycleMichael]

This TulsaWorld story says the cost to the city for each police officer is $85,816 per year.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=16&articleid=20091221_11_A1_ATulsa864741&archive=yes

3.2 million dollars in budget cuts divided $85,816 per officer equals 37 officers.

Why does the police union keep claiming Mayor Bartlett wants to cut 135 jobs?

[rwarn17588]

The city has money, it just has messed up priorities. 

<snip>

The money is there, use it wisely, and I think we can make it until things improve. 

I don't buy it. All you are advocating is robbing from Peter (hello, TARP fund) and paying Paul. This is not a good  or sustainable solution to a budget shortfall.

[swake]

This TulsaWorld story says the cost to the city for each police officer is $85,816 per year.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=16&articleid=20091221_11_A1_ATulsa864741&archive=yes

3.2 million dollars in budget cuts divided $85,816 per officer equals 37 officers.

Why does the police union keep claiming Mayor Bartlett wants to cut 135 jobs?

It's a 4.4% cut in the annual budget, but half the fiscal year is gone and spent. So, it's a 4.4% cut that has to come out of the remaining 50% of the original budget.

[Conan71]

Instead of biznitching this thing to death, sounds like the FOP needs to get with the Chief and work out a pay cut for everyone if they don't want layoffs.  I fail to see how stating the facts of this budget crisis works out to extortion.  This is doing nothing to further a good image of the TPD with average citizens.

[RecycleMichael]

... sounds like the FOP needs to get with the Chief and work out a pay cut for everyone if they don't want layoffs. 

I agree 100%.

[patric]

I heard the FOP flack on KRMG this morning, and his statements were every bit as hyperbolic and stupid as in the paper.

If he thinks the mayor is engaging in "extortion," then he'd better arrest him, or the FOP had better read Oklahoma statutes book more closely. If you keep yelling "fire" in a crowded theater, pretty soon people aren't going to take you seriously.

And it would be the same way regardless of who ended up being elected mayor, as they would have to deal with the exact same problem.  What happened is the FOP just got too big and fat.

[DowntownNow]

"The police union wants formal negotiations to be opened, Perkins said, allowing some back and forth with the mayor."

Of course the Union wants that, but guess what...today's financial picture for the City leaves no room for back and forths, its put up or shut up time. $3.4 million must come out of TPD...no haggle. You dont like it, quit.

It's about time someone put the TPDs feet to the fire and show what their true mettle is. They will either stand by their less tenured brothers and sisters or quickly turn their backs on them to save their own skins.

This strategy by Bartlett has one mission in mind..show the public that TPD is either willing to do what is in the best interest of Tulsa or that they are not and solely out for themselves. Can't wait to see which it is. Congratulations Bartlett.

"Though this is not extortion, an extortionist could not do it any better."

The FOP would know exactly what extortion is given they have been doing that to the City of Tulsa for years. Constantly pushing for more and more of the budget pie to the detriment of other City services and departments while using fear propoganda to push their agenda. If Dewey learned, it was from them.

"The mayor will push scores of our officers to the brink of financial and career destruction..."

Much like the FOP has done to other City personnel as a result of their greed and without regard.

"Perkins said this is 'an artificial timeline'"

Wrong! This timeline is determined by the Sales Tax Revenue decline, numbers came out last week demanding a $10 million budget reduction that must be complied with prior to the end of the fiscal year. This may not be the only reduction if sales tax revenues continue to decline either.

"Many officers whose jobs are not at risk 'are looking for an exit strategy because they don't trust this administration,' he (Ryan Perkins) said."

Great, quit..then we dont have to hear your incessant whining that you are better than any other city worker, are a special class, are more highly educated (hard to imagine), etc. On top of that, if those not at risk leave due to a misguided and ill-perceived lack of trust regarding the adminstration that is only responding to the economic crisis it faces, then that frees up considerable more money per officer to retain lower ranked officers and place more boots on the street. If one $67,000 officer walks, that frees up to retain about 1.5 more newly hired officers.

"The race of an employee is not a factor."

Nor should it be but the Black Officer Coalition certainly seems to want to make it one, shame on them. Every race will feel the effects of a layoff...not just african americans.

Any other desperate gambles the FOP wants to role out without manning up and addressing the real situation?