Mediation between PBA and the city is concluded

Mediation between the city and the PBA to settle the police officers’ contract covering August 1, 2004 through July 31, 2006 concluded today without an agreement leaving the contract to be settled through binding arbitration.

PBA president Patrick J. Lynch said: “The lower than inflation pattern of 3 and 3.15% over two years offered by the city is completely unacceptable to New York City police officers who are earning tens of thousands of dollars less each year than other local police departments. If the city complied with the Taylor Law that mandates equal pay for similar work, it is likely that we could have reached a negotiated settlement.

“This marks the fifth time in the last six rounds of bargaining that police officers have been forced to go to binding arbitration to settle their contract. In the last two binding arbitration cases, the PBA has been awarded pattern-breaking settlements for significantly more than what the city offered. It is regrettable that the city refused to wake up to this reality and forces us to go through a lengthy and expensive binding arbitration process just to achieve a fair contract.”