A.G. Gancarski
A message from Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams to the Fraternal Order of Police was conveyed Tuesday: take the city’s pension deal.
Jacksonville has been in the process of renegotiating the pension plans of all of its unions, but police and fire have offered the most urgency.
The real sticking point, beyond finding an appropriate level of raises for current employees: benefits for new hires.
The public safety unions want inclusion for new hires in the FRS defined benefit plan, which may be an option foreclosed to them as soon as this legislative session in Tallahassee.
The city’s proposal includes a 25 percent match on defined-contribution plans for new hires, with death and disability benefits comparable to those under the defined benefit plan currently in place, and raises for all current employees.
Last Wednesday, the city sweetened the pot, offering an extended term of a labor agreement — effectively a seven-year deal, with terms revisited at three, six, and seven-year intervals — provided that it meets certain conditions.
As well, in place of Social Security, a mechanism was floated to offer annuity accounts paralleling the DC plans.
Sheriff Williams told us Tuesday that was a good deal.
“The deal that we have on the table here is a good deal. I am in favor of what the mayor’s putting on the table, and I’m encouraging everybody to take a hard look at it,” Williams said.
Even though the deal is defined contribution, Williams asserted that “there’s plenty in that deal that protects the members.”
“It’s not your normal 401K by any stretch,” the sheriff added, “and I think the mayor has shown his commitment to us by putting a deal on the table.”
The unions and the city negotiate again on Feb. 8.
3 comments
SH
January 31, 2017 at 3:10 pm
You’re both douche bags
SS32
January 31, 2017 at 3:20 pm
Yes it’s a most excellent plan until they decide they’re going to switch everyone to this 401k. Meaning officers who have spent their entire lives on the force will have their pension ripped out from under them when the city spends all of the funds. THAT is why they are so insistent about city retirement as opposed to state. This way they can “dip” into it, spend it all then say oops! Our bad! There’s no money left for you. Sorry.
MW
February 1, 2017 at 9:41 am
It’s a sad day when after almost 9 years of no raises and bad city management of what we had that they try to give us what we don’t want. Why can’t we…for once…get something we want… something that tells us we value your very hard work and putting your life on the line every time you put on that uniform. P.S…look at whats happening in Dallas
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