Yes, the city has a new budget but . . .
CPD still has no contract
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s feigned deference to the aldermen who voted against her 2021 budget and the almost palatable sigh of relief from her supporters may all be premature. The mayor’s threats, promises, and bargaining prowess got her 29 votes-three to spare-to pass the budget. What no one got from the November 24 passage was when and how the contracts with the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and the Chicago Fire Department will be resolved.
The FOP, the union that represents the rank and file of the Chicago Police Department, has been without a contract for more than three years. Lightfoot’s attempt to resolve the issue stalled and then died. The newly passed budget has no wiggle room for the retroactive wage increases. That is at the foundation of the FOP’s demands.
Under the now-expired contract, officers received approximately 1.75 percent raises between July 2012 and January 2017. There have been no salary increases since. John Catanzara. Jr., president of the FOP, has accused the city of “not bargaining in good faith.” The first-term president and his team changed their demand from a 17 percent raise over five years to 11 percent. He noted that when the city waited until the last minute to reject the offer his only choice was to revert to the original 17 percent request.
Yes, the city has a budget, but with millions owed to the FOP and CFD how stable a budget is it?
The Fire Department union just came off of a short-term contract that ended in June. No progress on a new deal is in sight. Like the FOP contract, the city will be obligated to issue back pay to fire fighters, even if they retired while waiting for an agreement.
Nothing included in the recently passed budget addresses the matter of police and fire departments’ contracts. Right now, the citizens are protected as both organizations have “no strike” clauses in their bylaws. While that is a plus for residents; it gives city officials the opportunity to drag their feet in terms of coming to an agreement.
The prospects don’t look any better for next year as the budget is loaded with one-time fixes and the hope that the Feds will ride to the rescue with bags full of cash. Solid budgets aren’t built on hope.