PROVIDENCE – City police union officers would see their paychecks increase but also contribute more to the city’s pension funded under the contract between the city and the Fraternal Order of Police Union Lodge No. 3 approved by the City Council’s Committee on Finance on March 9.
The four-year contract calls for annual wage hikes for police officers, with increases of 4.5% for all years except 2022, which would see a 3.75% bump. It also scales up the amount they would put back in the city’s pension fund with incremental increases from the current 8% to reach 13.5% by 2022.
Understanding Breast Health: The Vital Role of Annual Screenings
Breast health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, and regular screenings play a vital…
Learn More
Committee Chairman and Majority Whip John J. Igliozzi in a statement lauded the “precedent-setting pension reform,” which will return $31 million to the city’s pension funded over the course of the contract. Igliozzi noted that it is not a fix for the long-underfunded pension, estimated at more than $1.2 billion in the hole, but is a “much-needed savings.”
The pay raises, which if approved would apply retroactively for 2019 when the prior police contract expired, will cost the city $12 million over the next four years. With the raises, police union members’ base wage rates would be within the top 10% of the state, whereas they previously fell in the bottom 25%, according to the city.
The contract also increases police officers’ annual contributions to their health care plans and sets a trust for other post-employment benefits with $200 annual contributions from officers beginning in fiscal 2022.
The mandatory retirement age would also increase from 63 to 65.
The committee approval will now go before the full City Council for final approval.
Nancy Lavin is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Lavin@PBN.com.
