Normal to consider new police union contract

Posted on March 4, 2016
Normal Police Department
The new contract would last four years. (WJBC file photo)

By Adam Studzinski

NORMAL – The Normal Town Council on Monday will consider a four year collective bargaining agreement with the town’s police union.

City Manager Mark Peterson explained the town is actually in the middle of a four year contract with the union, but that contract called for a wage re-negotiation after two years.

“We discussed this with them and we said, why don’t we adjust wages, but go ahead and then extend and do a four year agreement,” said Peterson. “Really, all they wanted to negotiate was wages. They didn’t have any other issues with the contract.”

Peterson said the union agreed to approving a new deal which includes an annual salary increase of 2.85 percent, beginning this year. He added a four year agreement gives both sides certainty.

“It also eliminates the need for us to be sitting down and spending a lot of time bargaining every other year, which used to be the case,” Peterson said.

Peterson said the town has a great relationship with the union and that’s something they don’t take for granted.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].

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