Evergreen's New Contract/1989
 Evergreen Park ChapterWins Major Wage, Benefit Package — 1989 The 43 sworn officers who police the Southwest Suburb of Evergreen Park are enjoying new contract improvements that will see their base salaries rise a whopping 16 percent by November of 1991. Meanwhile, the first step of the five-step pact has already boosted the CCPA members’ take-home pay by 4 percent, with a one-time lump-sum payment covering the raise retroactive to November 1, 1989. According to CCPA Evergreen Park Chapter President Dennis O’Dowd, the new 2-1/2 year contract will bring a typical 4-year officer’s salary of $31,400 to $36,800 during the last six-month step of the agreement. The increases will go into effect in five six-month phases, with a total of 7 percent accruing the first year, 6 percent the second year and a 3 percent hike going into effect for the last six months of the contract term. Also, in what may be a bargaining coup in current police labor relations, the Village of Evergreen Park has agreed to pay 100 percent of the cost of health and life insurance for the covered CCPA members. At present, the monthly premium for this comprehensive family coverage is $479, which comes out to $5,748 per year for each Evergreen Park officer and his family. An impending increase in the insurance premium of some 20 percent is expected to take place next year, with the Village already agreeing to absorb the additional costs. Chapter President O’Dowd, who is also a Vice President on the CCPA Executive Board, reports that his Evergreen Park members will also be paid at time-and-a-half for any work over 40 hours. This is a major improvement over the previous “fair labor standard” arrangement that paid time-and-a-half only after 171 hours of accumulated straight time. Additionally, O’Dowd and his negotiating team won an improved college tuition reimbursement package that covers a variety of courses taken at the University of Illinois – Chicago Circle Campus. Previously, Evergreen Park reimbursed its police scholars only for courses taken at Chicago State University and only for courses directly related to police work. In addition to Officer O’Dowd, the CCPA negotiating team included Evergreen Park Officers Ken Klomhaus, Greg Johnson, Jim Siroky and Mike Dwyer. Starting in November, the negotiation process took just under three months to conclude. “We wound up at the very top of whatever we could expect to get from the Village Board,” O’Dowd said. |