Sports blog: Stamford Sports Scene
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By CHASE WRIGHT

Times Staff Writer


STAMFORD -- With the conclusion of this year's budget deliberations Monday night, layoffs for Stamford police officers are still a very real possibility.

Contracts with 10 city unions are set to expire on July 1. City officials offered all the unions the same package -- 3 percent wage increases over a one-year period. Those increases were cut by the Board of Finance at its initial budget meeting in April.

The thinking behind the wage increases was that the city wanted to avoid settling into any long-term contracts during a tough economic climate, said Assistant Director of Human Resources Robert Murray.

"We wanted to see how things played out," said Murray. "One-year contracts give both sides the opportunity to see where things are going."

Since the finance board cut the increases, negotiations with eight of the ten unions have been settled, and the Stamford Professional Fire Fighters Association has reached an unofficial tentative agreement with some concession, said Dennies.

The firefighters have agreed to postpone their wage increases until Oct. 1, and delay delivery on new uniforms for one year in return of a no-layoff clause in their contract, she said.

The Stamford Police Association is the only union which hasn't come to terms with the city. On Monday, president of the union, Sgt. Joseph Kennedy, watched as the board of finance allotted about $4.7 million into the contingency fund.

The union needed $740,296, which represents the 3 percent increases, to avoid laying off 23 police officers by July 1, said Kennedy.

In closed-door discussions, the finance board allotted the union half of that -- about $452,000 -- and requested they work out a deal based on that number.

"It's disappointing," said Kennedy. "All we did is accept the 3 percent raise that was offered to us."

Worst case scenario: Stamford will lose 13 of its newest officers if some concessions aren't made, said Kennedy.

"We're willing to talk," he said. "Thirteen layoffs is 13 to many."

Dennies suggested the police union "get creative" and work out a deal so that no Stamford police officers are let go.

"I know they can get there," she said. "Use your imagination. You've got $425,000. Work with you've got."

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