Police Union Contract Notes

The Town of Framingham is ninety (90%) unionized.

The Framingham police department has about 155 employees and a fiscal 2007 budget of $10.2 million.  This comes to an average of $65,806 per employee not including health insurance and retirement costs.

There appears to be two separate agreements. One is titled

Agreement between The Town of Framingham and The Framingham Police Officers' Union

effective July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2007

and the other is titled

Agreement between The Town of Framingham and Local 475, International Brotherhood of Police Officers, Superior Officers

effective July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2007

This is a composite view of both agreements.

Here's a recap of their salaries, health insurance and retirement benefits.

  • their normal salaries,
  • a substantial number of them get an automatic step increase beyond the normal annual pay increase,
  • 90% of their health insurance is payed for by the taxpayers while they work and after they retire,
  • their generous retirement is paid for by the taxpayers,
  • all the frills offered by this contract

It is said that The Road To Hell is paved with good intentions.

This contract alone paves many miles to hell. It is also a classic case of how the taxpayers are nickeled and dimed to death.

I was far less cynical of these parasites before I read the union contracts. I encourage all town meeting members to read these contracts in detail before voting on giving them more money.

I refer to them as parasites because they change state statutes to benefit themselves. Consider the Quinn bill and the state statute that gives them a monopoly on detail work.

Between their normal base pay, holiday pay, vacation time, sick time, overtime rates, night differentials, weekend differentials, hazardous duty pay, educational benefits pay, longevity pay, uniform pay, life insurance, accreditation pay, defribillator pay and specialty pay, I frankly think these parasites are sufficiently overpayed.

It was very discouraging to read these contracts. If you have not read these contracts, you simply do not understand Framingham finances.

It's very clear that the Board of Selectman or Town Meeting DO NOT understand the word NO when it comes time to negotiate with these unions. After all, it's only taxpayers money, not their own money.

The concept of seniority being ranked above competency is very offensive to me and has always turned me away from unions.  This union represents communism in action.

Article 33 speaks of Civilianization. Is that becoming civilized?

Article 4 (No Strike Provision)

It shall be unlawful for any employee to engage in, induce, or encourage any strike, work stoppage, slowdown or withholding of services of such employees.

Article 6 (Seniority)

There shall be a seniority list established.  Shift assignments shall be determined by seniority with senior employees having preference.

Article 7 (Vacation)

Vacation Time Accumulation Table
Less than 5 years Two weeks
5 - 10 years Three weeks
10 - 20 years Four weeks
More than 20 years Five weeks

Article 8 (Holidays)

There are 11 holidays.  Holiday pay shall be paid on the basis of 25% of a week's base pay for each holiday.

No employee shall be scheduled to work both Christmas and New Years.

Article 9 (Hours)

The work day shall consist of 8 hours and 25 minutes and weekly hours shall consist of 38.32 hours per week over the calendar year.

7:45 a.m. to 4:10 p.m.
3:45 p.m. to 12:10 a.m.
11:45 a.m. to 8:10 a.m.

Overtime is 1.5 times the hourly rate.

Article 10 (Wages)

An afternoon/night differential of 8% of base pay shall be paid to officers assigned to the afternoon and night shifts continuously for one week or more.

A weekend differential of $2.00 per hour will be paid to bargaining unit employees who work on Saturday or Sunday.

Two employees will each receive $3,000 for fingerprint/photography work.

The Evidence/Detail Officer shall receive $3,500 for those duties.

Up to 15 members of the police department will receive $3,500 for performing the duties of investigator.

There are automatic increases for degrees and advanced courses.  See the Quinn Bill or MGL 41, chapter 108L. The notion that this codified in law is absurd.

Not less than 10 semester hours credit towards a Baccalaureate Degree in law enforcement: 1.5% increase in base pay

Not less than 25 semester hours credit towards a Baccalaureate Degree in law enforcement: 3% increase in base pay

Not less than 40 semester hours credit towards a Baccalaureate Degree in law enforcement: 5% increase in base pay

Associate Degree in law enforcement: 7.5% increase in base pay

Baccalaureate Degree in law enforcement: 10% increase in base pay

Master's Degree in law enforcement or related specialty, approved in advance by the Chief and or the Director of the Personnel Department: 15% increase in base pay

The town will only pay for actual physical attendance of classes.  No correspondence school will be acceptable.

A "C" grade is required for all course work except when the goal is an Associate, Baccalaureate, or Master's degree.

Any employee who announces his retirement two or more years in advance will receive a two year salary increase of $750.

Article 13, Section 1 (Leave With Pay)

Employees shall receive one personal day without loss of pay.

Article 13, Section 2 (Leave With Pay)

Three to five days of bereavement leave may be taken on a death in the immediate family. Imediate family is defined as: spouse, mother, father, child, sister, brother, mother-in-law, father-in-law, step-mother, step-father, step-brothers, step-sisters, grandparents, or persons living in the immediate household.

It doesn't matter whether these people are loved ones or mortal enemies. You get to mourn or celebrate their death.  This contract simply does not differentiate between loved ones or mortal enemies.

Article 13, Section 3 (Leave With Pay)

Fifteen (15) days of sick leave per year are available.  Five days of sick leave may be used to care for family members.  Family here is: spouse, mother, father, child, sister, brother, mother-in-law, father-in-law, step-mother, step-father, step-brothers, step-sisters, or grandparents.

There is a sick leave bank which can be used by employees who have exhausted their sick leave. (Article 24)

There is a limited sick leave buy back (Article 26).

There is a sick leave non-use bonus of 3 days of compensatory time (Article 42).

It doesn't matter whether these people are loved ones or mortal enemies. You get to help heal them or celebrate their sickness.  This contract simply does not differentiate between loved ones or mortal enemies.

Article 15 (Cleaning and Clothing Allowance)

Each employee shall receive an annual clothing allowance of $750.  Any lost or damaged clothing will be replaced.

Any employee who is promoted in rank shall receive an additional $150 to purchase necessary uniform items.

I can understand how clothing might be damaged but how is it that a police officer loses his uniform?

Article 22 (Funeral and Burial Expenses)

The taxpayers pay up to $7,500 for funeral and burial expenses if the officer is killed in the performance of their duities.

I believe that William Welch was the only Framingham police officer ever killed while performing his duties and that was because he made a serious mistake while handling someone in custody. Thus, our police station is on William Welch Way.

The police are fond of telling us that they place themselves in harm's way, but being a police officer is a safe and secure job in comparison to being a roofer, fisherman or lumberjack.

Being a police officer is not a particularly dangerous job in America.  Their fatality rate is about the same as gardeners and way less then garbage collectors.  Compared to construction and commercial fishing it's minimal."

Article 25 (Hazardous Duty Pay)

Members covered by this agreement shall receive Hazardous Duty Pay in the amount of four percent (4%) of their base pay.

Article 29 (Longevity Pay)

Each employee gets longevity pay annually starting at $200 for 10 years of service, increasing by $50 for each subsequent 5 years of duty, up to $450 for 35 years of service.

Article 31 (Fingerprinting and Photography)

Each employee shall be trained and certified to perform fingerprint, photograph and breathalyzer duties. An employee so trained and certified shall receive an annual stipend equal to two percent (2%) of their base pay, including shift differentials.

Article 31 (Defribillators)

All employees will be trained, certified and responsible for performing defribillator duties. Each employee shall receive an annual stipend of $150.

Article 37 (Accreditaion)

All members will receive an annual stipend of one percent (1%) of base pay for departmental accreditation.

Article 38 (Life Insurance)

The town agrees to establish and maintain life insurance coverage for all members of the bargaining unit, in the amount of $100,000 in the event of death in the line of duty.

Memorandum of Understanding on Paid Details

Paid details are the motherlode of money for the police department thanks to a state authorized monopoly on a job that requires an eighth grade education. On any list of the 20 best paid employees in the Town of Framingham, police officers will occupy about 15 slots (see Framingham top salaries)

Any officer who wants to receive paid detail assignments shall so indicate by signing a paid detail list.

Paid detail list shall be arranged and maintained in the order of seniority.

Employees who are their day off shall receive preference in paid detail assignments in accordance with the senirity list.

Minimum of 4 hours pay.

Detail rate is $38/hour.

After 8 hours, it's time and a half, $57/hour.

When rank is required, an additional $2/hour. Rank is required when there are four or more officers.

It's double time, $76/hour on holidays, Easter Sunday, Mother's Day, Christmas Eve (after 1800) and New Year's Eve (after 1800).

Police Officer Pay Table 1/1/2007 - 6/30/2007

Employees with 10 years of service will
move to the fifth step.

Current Police Staffing

Step 1 2 3 4 5
PD-1 (Annual) $ 39,704 $ 42,761 $ 44,077 $ 45,388 $ 46,548
PD-1 (Weekly) $ 763.55 $ 822.32 $ 847.63 $ 872.85 $ 895.15

Superior Police Officers Pay Table 1/1/2007 - 6/30/2007

Current Police Staffing

Step 1 2 3 4 5
PS-1 $ 55,524 $ 57,226 $ 58,926 $ 60,695 $ 62,517
PS-2 $ 63,845 $ 65,814 $ 67,795 $ 69,797 $ 71,894
PS-3 $ 73,426 $ 75,683 $ 77,930 $ 80,270 $ 82,677

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