Now that the din has died down about our lack of any real type of pay from the Legislature this year, I thought I would take the opportunity to bring a few issues to the front that may have been overlooked after this past session.
We in State law enforcement have always operated in the belief that the governor and Legislature “loves” us. I’d like to challenge that belief.
To be fair, in the years IUPA was the collective bargaining unit for State law enforcement, there were positive gains.
During the 2006 session there was a real chance at solving the pay compression problem, but since it was an election year for control of who would be our collective bargaining agent, politics reared its ugly head and you know the rest of that story.
The fact is that for the past 17 years State law enforcement pay has remained pretty much flat thanks in great part to the lack of funding and ultimate loss of the step pay plan. You remember the step pay plan, don’t you? Oh, I forgot, most have not been on the job for 17 years. (High turnover, you know!)
It was much like the military or civil service pay plan. It rewarded officers who stayed with the State by providing regular incremental pay increases and did not punish them like today’s smokescreen called the Broadband pay plan.
By punishing, I mean there is little reason to remain employed with the State unless you plan to promote up. By rewarding, I mean it gave us a reason to stay employed knowing you would advance in the pay scale even if you didn’t want to promote.
In FHP we have a saying, “If you want a pay raise, promote!” One problem is that although it seems that anyone can promote, not everyone can promote. Even though our agencies have grown top heavy over the years, it’s still the zone-working officer who does the job.
Let’s face it, the State did not create our agencies so that many members could sit in an office answering phones or filing papers. They created our agencies to enforce laws, protect the people and resources of our State and save lives.
Back to the Legislature. They more than anyone else control how and how much money is spent. Ask any legislator and they will all tell you they support law enforcement. Our endorsements in their campaigns are highly prized and our opinions are greatly valued. In short, they love us, don’t they?
But ask one or two legislators how much a starting law enforcement officer makes and ask them how that officer is expected to survive above the poverty level while living and raising a family in Palm Beach County. Then ask them how much that same officer makes ten years later. Most don’t know. Ask them if retaining our members is more important than some of the “turkeys” they pass each year.
In 2006, The I.U.P.A. put up billboards in and around Tallahassee that exposed these abuses. That and other efforts were used to educate members and the public about our unacceptable situation.
I received many calls from citizens who did not believe State law enforcement was in the poor shape it was and also from many of our members thanking The I.U.P.A. for bringing our situation to light.
Many times, citizens who move here from the North assume that since you work for the State, you naturally make more than city or county employees. That for the most part is how it works “up North.”
Some will tell you that donating money and time to the legislators is the key to getting our plight moved to the front burner. Last year, an I.U.P.A. member told me he was changing to the PBA because, “They have the power and money.”
It’s reported that last year the current collective bargaining unit spent over 1.3 million dollars in political contributions. Add that and all the pictures of smiling politicians with smiling lobbyists and we ended up with a whopping one-time $1,000 bonus. So, that’s what we can expect as a show of power?
And why is it that we were told by the Legislature this year that the only reason we didn’t get any pay compression funding is because they didn’t have enough left over in the Legislative budget? Is that what we are, leftover funding?
The pay and retention of law enforcement personnel should be front and center in the State budget, not a passing thought worthy of a few crumbs. Please take a good look at the budget the Legislature passed this year. Palm Beach County alone got almost double what their county’s legislative delegation requested.
Why? I think once you look into it you’ll figure it out yourself.
It’s time to face facts. Politicians love us. They love our presence, donations, endorsements and they jump at any chance they get to have their pictures taken with us in our uniforms. It’s now time for those uniforms to educate those same politicians and the citizens of this State to our critical situation.
It is not time to give up or abandon hope. Only a loser gives up. I’m not a loser and neither are you. Educate yourself first and then educate others.
Do not depend on others to do your fighting. They might not be as powerful as they want you to think . . .
Neil Mariotti
Chairman, IUPA-FL Local 6000
nmariotti@gmail.com
Posted July 5, 2007
