Publications & Sites 
Oak Brook approves three-year contract with police
Updated: July 15, 2012 3:12PM
Following six months of negotiations, Oak Brook and the Fraternal Order of Police have agreed to a new union contract for the village’s police officers.
The three-year contract is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2012 and runs through Dec. 31, 2014. The contract includes annual raises and more health care contributions from the officers.
Officers will receive a 2 percent salary increase retroactive to Jan. 1, 2012 and a 0.5 percent increase on July 1. Wages will increase another 2 percent on Jan. 1, 2013 and another 0.5 percent on July 1, 2013. In the contract’s final year, wages will increase 2 percent Jan. 1, 2014 and 0.5 percent on July 1, 2014.
In 2014, merit increases will be reduced for officers moving their way through the pay grade. Merit increases will range from between zero percent to 3.5 percent.
The most noticeable change will be the switch from an eight-hour shift to a 12-hour shift for the officers beginning on June 24. According to trustees, the union pushed for the change.
“This was an item the union wished to have included in the new contract,” Trustee Stelios Aktipis said. “It was also an item our administration, police chief and his staff thought would be a workable change that might have some advantages for everyone concerned.”
The two sides met for only five bargaining sessions without using an attorney, an approach Aktipis estimates saved the village about $25,000 in legal fees.
Trustees spoke highly of the negotiating process and those involved.
“Everybody stayed focused, calm and rational,” Trustee Asif Yusuf said. “We are returning to the 12-hour shifts we previously had. We wouldn’t have gone with this if our chief didn’t feel comfortable with it.”
As part of the agreement, in 2014 on insurance, the employee PPO share will rise from 17.5 percent to 20 percent, the HMO will increase from 12.5 percent to 15 percent and the HD PPO will go from 10 percent to 12.5 percent. Deductibles will rise in 2014 from $350, $700 and $1,050 to $400, $800 and $1,200, respectively.
Prescription drug costs will increase in 2014 as well.
According to a village memo, the new agreement will bring the police union employee portion of insurance cost sharing up to 20 percent in 2014, saving the village an estimated $15,000 annually.
April 2011 brought closure to over three-years of negotiations between the village and fire union and the board was happy to accept the new police contract after only a few bargaining sessions.
“It took over three years to finally come to an agreement on the fire contract and now this took six months,” Trustee Mark Moy said. “It was smooth and non-contentious and that was due to the fact the police chief was involved and cooperation of the policemen who were negotiating for the union. It was about as smooth as it can go.”
After receiving word the union, which represents 30 employees in the department, had ratified the new agreement on June 1, trustees unanimously accepted the contract Tuesday night.
“A special thanks to our police chief (Jim Kruger),” Trustee Mike Manzo said. “What was obvious in this negotiation is there was trust between the officers and the chief. I think that goes a long way when you’re negotiating a contract.”
