DERRY — The town and the Police Patrolman's Association have come to a tentative agreement on a new three-year-plus collective bargaining agreement.
It's been four years since the last contract expired.
Under the former agreement, the 39 members of the association have not had a general pay increase since 2007. Members also pay the same amount for health insurance today as they did then.
"The parties have been negotiating in good faith since before the last agreement expired on June 30, 2008," human resources director Larry Budreau told town councilors at a meeting Feb. 7. "It's been a hard, but rewarding experience."
Budreau said the new contract would run from March 2012 to June 2015.
It would provide association members with 3 percent, 3 percent, 1.5 percent and 2 percent base wage increases over the three-plus years of the contract, or a 1.6 percent increase per year for fiscal year 2008 through fiscal year 2015.
The contract also increases the association's employee health plan contribution from 10 percent to 20 percent.
A $10 co-pay health plan replaces the previous $5 co-pay plan. The contract also eliminates health insurance "caps," and health insurance buyouts are reduced by $3,500 per year.
Councilor Neil Wetherbee said not everyone will be happy with everything in the contract.
"I know they have been without a contract for quite some time," he said. "But it's moving the town in the right direction." Councilor Kevin Coyle said it was a lot of money to pay police officers who choose not to take health insurance, which would be $11,200.
Officials said the Patrolman's Association contract is the oldest unsettled contract the town has and it would be good to get this one done.
"There are some really good things about it," Councilor Joel Olbricht said.
At some point, Wetherbee said, it has to be a done deal.
"I think the pluses far outweigh the minuses," he said.
Coyle said he also liked some things in the contract, but still questioned the buyout amount for those officers choosing not to take the health insurance.
Budreau said only 20 of the total 30 union members qualify for the $11,200 buyout amount. Other members hired after November 2004 would only get $2,500 not to take health insurance.
The proposed contract is available on the town's website. Councilors hope to vote on the final plan at a meeting Feb. 21.
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