EASTHAMPTON — After three months of negotiation, the Easthampton Police Department and the city have reached a labor agreement that both sides have described as “fair” for the union and the city.
Officer Chad Alexander, union president for the Easthampton Police Department, said the negotiation process was “quick and painless.”
“Most of our guys on the force live here as well as work here, and we pay taxes here, so we understand the state of money in Easthampton,” Alexander said. “So, when we’re negotiating, we’re not asking for the world. What we settled on was not a huge financial burden for the city, but it’s fair in the sense that we’re happy.”
Alexander said the new labor agreement will provide 1.5 percent annual raises for the next three years for the police department. The raises are standard, he said, and noted that other city departments have negotiated higher raises of 2 percent. The union represents about 35 employees.
For the police, Alexander said, the agreement also establishes differential pay and brings back longevity pay, which Alexander said the department has not had since before he joined the force in 2003. Those who stay with the department for 10 years will receive a $100 stipend each of the following years of service.
“The longevity pay is relatively small and is a way to ensure that employees stick around,” Alexander said. “That was nice, especially for some of our older officers.”
Differential pay can help employees at the other end of the age spectrum, Alexander said, as overnight shifts often fall to new, younger officers. The new agreement allows for an additional 25 cents per hour of differential pay for employees working overnight shifts. Alexander said that other city departments offer as much as $1.50 in differential pay, and said it’s fair that officers working the midnight shift should receive a little extra.
“It’s a good package and a good agreement all around, not just for the union, but for the taxpayers, too,” Alexander said.
Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle issued a statement Tuesday that she is pleased to have reached a “fair agreement” with police.
“In an environment of mutual respect and congeniality, we worked together to craft an agreement in the best interest of all parties, especially the citizens of Easthampton whom the Police Department and the Mayor’s office proudly serve,” LaChapelle stated. “I am grateful for the sincere participation of all those involved, and look forward to working with the Police Department to ensure the safety and security of Easthampton.”
Alexander said the negotiation process with the mayor went smoothly and was shorter than in years past.
“Instead of tying up our guys and city officers for meeting upon meeting, we were happy to get it done in three quick meetings because it’s all in the best interest of the city,” he said.
He said the union meets before talking with the city and each individual union member is welcome to suggest items they would like brought up in negotiations. This time around, Alexander said there were suggestions of having birthdays off, incentives for passing a yearly fitness test and a stipend for being EMT-certified that were not accepted by the city.
“That’s all part of the negotiation process, which we understood too,” Alexander said. “It’s a real fair contract, the police union is happy. For me personally, I pay taxes in town and it’s definitely fair.”
M.J. Tidwell can be reached at mjtidwell@gazettenet.com.