Police Union Contract May Save Dispatch From Outsourcing

The may withdraw from further discussions exploring the consolidation of police dispatch services with Pittsfield Township because of language in the union contract that would nullify any savings associated with the move.

At Monday's meeting, Saline City Council is expected to vote on a motion thatnotify the township that Saline is pulling out of the talks. The city had considered outsourcing its dispatching department in a plan that officials said would save the city more than $100,000 annually.

In a memo to city council, City Manager Todd Campbell wrote explained why he is recommending against consolidating dispatch services and maintaining the status quo at the moment. Campbell said that language in the city’s collective bargaining agreement with the Saline Police Officers Association makes outsourcing the dispatch services “not feasible.”

An article in the contract states the following:

The right to contract or subcontract shall not be used for the purpose or intention of undermining the Union, nor to discriminate against any of its members, nor shall it result in the reduction of the work force or the rank of the present employees.

In his memo to council, Campbell said he and Police Chief Paul Bunten worked with city labor counsel Mike Blum to determine whether or not the language in the contract would prevent contracting the services to Pittsfield Township.

“After full analysis of this I have concluded that the current (collective bargainning agreement) language does in fact make the contracting out of police dispatch services, to Pittsfield Township or any other provider, no feasible,” Campbell wrote.

In theory, the city could still outsource the jobs, but it would still be required to pay the salaries of the dispatchers and keep them at their rank.

“This would obviously cause a significant increase in operational costs, which is completely contrary to why contracting out of services was being pursued,” Campbell wrote.

Campbell added that he did not know how this language was overlooked until recently.

The city recently extended its contract with the Saline Police Officers Association until 2013.  In the contract, police forfeited a three percent raise in 2012 for 1.5 percent raises in both 2012 and 2013.

A decision to discontinue the consolidation talks would take a potentially controversial issue off the table just before the election.

Councillors Glenn Law and Linda TerHaar are both seeking re-election. The seat once held by Pat Ivey, who resigned to take work in another city, is also open. Residents Jack Heller and Jim Roth have filed to run for council.

In previous talks about the dispatch issue, Law was the lone council member to voice his opposition to the plan.

The city employs three full-time dispatchers and five part-timer dispatchers. Several residents have spoken out against the plan to outsource dispatch services, saying the city needed dispatchers who knew the city. The SPOA was also against the move. Union leader Chris Boulter had said the police patrols needs dispatchers who know the city and understand its needs. He also said maintaining the dispatchers would allow the department to keep its 24-7 presence at the police station.