Keokuk, IA – The contract between Keokuk and the bargaining unit representing the city's police department expires in eight months.
As negotiations are getting underway, the city's police officers are looking for a major pay increase.
The bargaining unit's initial offer calls for a new three-year contract.
It would include an 11% pay hike each year.
The union says, in a letter to the city's negotiating team, that it came up with those numbers because of statements by the city council regarding increasing police salaries and because of the impact better-paying, less dangerous jobs are having on officer recruitment.
The bargaining unit also wants increases in comp-time accumulations, longevity pay, funeral-leave, sick-time accrual, clothing allowance, and personal leave.
A new provision, proposed by the union, would also provide reimbursements for officers taking college courses.
The city will have to provide a counter offer during a public meeting, possibly within the next two weeks.
The first meeting between the two sides was also supposed to be public, per Iowa Code, but advanced notice was not provided by the city or the bargaining unit.
Additional Information
* The bargaining unit received a 4% wage hike during the current fiscal year.