CONTRACT
“This is a very nice contract. The Lieutenants’ salary will be six figures,” said MAP Labor Relations Specialist Joe O’Connor. “Starting this July 1, 2022, the base wage for Lieutenants is $102,600. It goes up $2,000 in 2023 and the following year another $2,000, for a base wage at end of the contract of $106,782. The Sergeants starting base wage July 1, 2022 will be $93,600 with their top out at $97,000. When the tentative agreement was presented to Council for approval, the pension board attorney had an issue with the DROP (Deferred Retirement Option Plan) language. This led to a delay in getting final approval. When St. Clair Shores Command Officers reach eligibility to retire … they may apply for the DROP plan, continue working or simply retire. Once they enter the DROP, they calculate their pension and their pension is frozen. They can continue working, however, they must leave City employment within 3 years. In the end, there wasn’t a change in the DROP. We were just waiting for the City Manager to sign the contract after he gave his resignation. Once we signed it, the Employer paid them retroactive back to July 1, 2021.”
“We definitely wanted to keep the DROP option in the contract. That was important for us,” said Jenna Conrad, St. Clair Shores Command Local Union President. “It’s only advantageous to those retiring during the contract. We wanted to keep it so it’s there to be negotiated for the next contract moving forward. We did get a few changes here and there that were advantageous to us. Initially, when we had Sergeants getting promoted, they would not get full pay for a year even though they were off probation in 90 days. Now they get the raise in pay after 90 days. We were able to keep the medical insurance we have with all the same coverage and the DROP program. We got what we think are fair wage increases and we really didn’t lose anything.”
Contract Duration: 4-year agreement ratified Sept. 30, 2021 and effective 7-1-21 to 6-30-25.
Wage Increases:
3% increase effective July 1, 2021.
3% increase effective July 1, 2022.
2% increase effective July 1, 2023.
2% increase effective July 1, 2024.
- After the contract was signed, all Employees received the first year pay increase retroactive to July 1, 2021.
Retirement: Employees increase their pension contribution by .5% from 4.5% to 5%.
Bargaining Team: MAP Labor Relations Specialist Joe O’Connor with Local Union President Jenna Conrad, former Secretary Paul Plaza, Vice President Travis Crooks and Treasurer Matthew McCallister.
