Police Union Seeks To Shut a College Loans Program
January 16, 2008
The union that represents police officers is asking the city to shut down two programs that help rookie officers pay off college loans and the costs of uniforms.
The Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association contends that the programs — one that provides officers with money to pay back college loans and another that helps rookies pay for uniforms — should be eliminated because they were not negotiated under collective bargaining, according to a brief filed with the New York City Office of Collective Bargaining that was obtained by The New York Sun.
Filed on December 10 in the midst of contract arbitration hearings between the city and the union, the brief and an accompanying improper practice petition, both of which appear to be an attempt to strip union members of financial benefits, highlight the ongoing labor battle over police officer salaries.
“The problem is that the NYPD can’t attract enough new recruits because the compensation at all levels is not competitive. These programs are not solutions to the problem,” the president of the PBA, Patrick Lynch, said.
The college loan reimbursement program, instituted in October, was created to help the department recruit new officers by providing them with up to $15,000 to pay back college loans. Funding for the program came via the New York City Police Foundation, and one of its longtime benefactors, Richard Fields, who provided a $1.5 million gift to launch the initiative.
Source: NY Sun Read the full story here
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