Pittsburgh police union disputes city's early contract offer

The Pittsburgh police union turned down a contract offer from the city that would have provided officers higher raises than what they received through an arbitration panel’s award released last week, according to a letter obtained Thursday by the Tribune-Review.

Robert Swartzwelder, president of Fraternal Order of Police Fort Pitt Lodge 1, said details in the letter were “misleading” and that the city’s offer changed dramatically during later negotiations.

Officers had been working without a contract since the old one expired in December 2018. Negotiations shifted to arbitration, as required by state law, after the two sides reached an impasse in 2019.

“It makes it look like we turned down an OK deal, but that was not the deal,” Swartzwelder said.

Mayor Bill Peduto declined comment.

Peduto’s Chief of Staff Dan Gilman said the city attempted to reach an agreement that would benefit officers.

“The city negotiated in good faith for many months, as I believe the FOP did, to try to reach an agreement on a contract, holistically taking into account all of the components of an agreement that would benefit the officers who have done great work during very difficult financial times since the city entered (state financial oversight),” he said.

The letter dated Dec. 12, 2018, from Pittsburgh’s Assistant Solicitor Kelly Mistick to Swartzwelder offered raises totaling 18% over five years. According to the letter, the city’s offer amounted to $55 million in total benefits, but the union turned it down because it did not include a $31.5 million pension enhancement.

An arbitration panel provided raises totaling 16 % — 4% annually over four years — but split the pay hikes, according to contract details released last week.

Officers will receive retroactive raises for 2019 starting with 1% from January to April. They receive an additional 1% in April and another 2% in July. Pay in 2020 increases by 2% in January and 2% in July. In 2021, officers will receive 3% in January and 1% in July. Wages in 2022 increase by 3% in January and 1% in July.

Union officials and officers were outraged by the award, noting that Pittsburgh’s other public safety unions received substantially higher contract awards and that raises were not split year to year.

An arbitration panel gave city firefighters raises totaling 20% over five years. Pittsburgh paramedics in 2018 agreed to a contract that provides raises totaling 29.3% over five years.

On Wednesday, members of the police bureau’s top command, including Chief Scott Schubert and Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich, met with Peduto over contract concerns. The letter was distributed to each of them, according to Swartzwelder.

“That letter is so misleading that it’s outrageous,” he said. “The terms of that alleged letter are absolutely false.”

Gilman declined to comment on details of the letter, saying they came up during private contract negotiations.

Swartzwelder confirmed the city offered raises totaling 5% in the first year, 4% in the second and 3% in each subsequent year. He said city paramedics received a $17.5% raise in the first year of their contract and 3% in each of four subsequent years.

“How do I take that number to the members when (the city) just settled with the medics for 17.5% in just the first year?” he said.

He said other details outlined in the letter, including longevity pay raises, were impossible to achieve or excluded certain groups of officers. He said the letter was released to cause a rift among among union membership.

Gilman said the city and union exchanged numerous contract offers.

“It changed numerous times,” Gilman said. “Every proposal from the union was taken seriously by the city and analyzed and the city would make different proposals back to try and reach an agreement that benefited our officers,” he said.