About two-thirds of Montgomery County’s rank-and-file police officers should get a pay raise next fiscal year, a county arbitrator decided Thursday in a move that could embolden other county employees to seek similar pay increases and could cost the county more than $30 million.
The county and the Fraternal Order of Police union stalled in negotiations over whether the officers should receive a 3.5 percent increment raise, known as a step increase, leaving an arbitrator to make the final call. The FOP and the county were also at odds over whether an embattled tuition assistance program should continue to be suspended.
The county is facing a projected budget gap of more than $760 million, and county officials have said they can’t afford pay increases this year.
County Executive Ike Leggett suspended the tuition assistance program last year after abuses of the benefit, including accusations that it was being used to offer police officers huge discounts on semiautomatic handguns and rifles for their personal use, came to light.
The arbitrator sided with the FOP, saying the police officers deserved the raise and the tuition assistance program shouldn’t be suspended.
County officials were quick to denounce the decision and reiterate their position that the county’s dismal finances prevent it from awarding pay increases to one group of employees because other labor unions likely will demand similar treatment. Across-the-board step increases would cost the county more than $30 million, officials estimate.
“Perhaps the arbitrator thinks Montgomery County can print money like the federal government,” County Councilman Phil Andrews said.
Leggett is reviewing his options, according to his spokesman.
“Given scarce resources and critical needs, it will be difficult to fund this decision,” spokesman Patrick Lacefield said.
FOP past president and negotiator Walter Bader said the blame for any misuse of the tuition assistance program lies squarely with Leggett’s staff, who gave approval for questionable courses.
Bader also said the issue of pay increases should be decided independently for each union.
“We don’t bargain for teachers,” Bader said.
Gino Renne, president of the Municipal and County Government Employees Organization, which represents county government employees, said the arbitrator’s decision will mean his union automatically returns to the bargaining table to discuss step increases.
Renne said the county has been insensitive to his member’s needs for assurances regarding job security and he has “absolutely no motivation to extend any good will to them.”
