HERE ARE THE FACTS SAPOA believes the San Antonio City Council has violated the public’s trust by voting to sue police officers in secret meetings. It is clearly evident that City Council conducted a roll call vote, in an off the record, private Executive Session, to sue police officers over their collective bargaining rights. We consider this a violation of the public’s trust and a clear attempt to avoid public accountability for Council members. We negotiated in good faith and have put 5 (five) legitimate offers on the table that offered cost control and fiscal security for the City of San Antonio. We also were committed to sharing costs in the form of adjustments to premiums and health care benefits. After each proposal, the City rejected each offer without a legitimate counter proposal. During negotiations, SAPOA agreed to the City’s recommendation for an independent, 3rd party actuary to verify statistics and financial information. The City then rejected their own recommendation within 24 hours of the SAPOA acceptance of their proposal. The City’s actions leave only one reasonable conclusion: the City Council and City Manager had no intention of bargaining in good faith and intended to file a lawsuit regardless of the negotiation process. The approach by the City Manager and the City Council shows a genuine disrespect for police officers and the role they play in protecting our community. From day one, the City and their negotiators have played a financial shell game to create a crisis centered on fear and fiscal doom. They have portrayed first responders as greedy, self-centered employees who do not deserve the benefits they receive. The City Manager and her team have worked tirelessly to drive a wedge between police officers and the community. It’s unfortunate that the City has chosen this route rather than to pursue the fair and open negotiating process that we have engaged in and that they professed to want. Nonetheless, we look forward to defending the rights of our members in court and have every confidence that we will prevail. Yours in Service, Mike Helle - See more at: sapoa.org/news/message-president/#sthash.rbyrNBdW.dpuf
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 00:48:22 +0000
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