Brothers & Sisters I didn't want this to have to be the main article of our first eNewsletter but as professionals it's something we have to address and talk about. The membership at the October, 2008 General Membership Meeting unanimously approved to send a ballot measure out to the members calling for a dues increase. The amount requested in the ballot measure is $10.00 per month.  This would bring our dues structure to $36 per month or $18 per two week pay period (24 pay periods).  This increase is only for active members.  Civilian members would see a $4.00 per month increase and there is NO increase for retirees.
 
Why more, why now?
Now I know that the economy is bad, I know that no one wants to pay more money... but we have to face facts. We have not asked for a dues increase in six (6) years. During that six years we have seen our costs rise tremendously. We've increased our services, and increased our facilities for the member's use. Our costs have risen in insurance, utilities, supplies, accounting, equipment, training, increased dues to the State and National Lodges, and most importantly legal. Our legal costs have gone up an average of $20 per hour for legal services in the last six years. We continue to represent officers in lawsuits, unfair employment actions, and officer involved shootings. We have to be able to continue our legal plan without any cuts. In fact we would like to do some work on the legal plan and at some point hire a staff attorney to fix our costs, solidify our representation, and increase our ability to stand and fight for our members.

Collective Bargaining Costs
We also have to look the future. Not only will costs continue to rise but we are at a juncture in this Lodge and State. I believe as others do in the FOP that things are about to change. Regardless of whether you are personally happy about the outcome of the national elections on November 4th, you have to look at one thing. The thing we have been working for in this State for more than 30 years is about to arrive. With the incoming slate of politicians in Washington D.C. we are almost assured that the National Collective Bargaining Bill will pass in 2009. This is the bill that would enact federal law guaranteeing collective bargaining rights for public safety employees (Police, Deputies, Firefighters, & EMTs). This means that employers would have to bargain with your collective representative (FOP) over working conditions, wages, and benefits and sign a contract guaranteeing those things negotiated or agreed upon at the bargaining table. Along with the benefits it will also require a tremendous amount of education, training, and work on our part and on the part of your chapter representatives. The training that is particularly important for us will cost money. We are going to bring the training here to Lodge #50 so we can train more of our members regionally with much less cost, but we will still have to pay out of Lodge funds.

Fundraising
We also have to understand that the fundraising we always could count on to supplement our income has dried up. The $30,000 we received six years ago has dried up to nothing. We no longer even have a phone solicitation firm calling for us because the profit margin is so poor. This year alone the State FOP has had to decrease it's budget by more than $100,000 in one year because of cuts in phone solicitation. To make up the difference the State Trustees voted to assess the membership $10.00 each. This will be done in two increments $5.00 in the fall and $5.00 in the spring. The Lodge #50 board voted to absorb the cost of the first $5.00 but we can't absorb the second without a dues increase. The State Lodge will then likely ask for a per capita (dues) increase at the next State Conference in 2010. The State currently only gets $11.00 per member for per capita and the life insurance costs $11.50 per member. Families in this Lodge have benefited from the life insurance when their officer/member dies unexpectedly. For some they realized it was the only insurance they had.

We currently pay the lowest amount of dues for any Lodge in the area. Our State Lodge receives the lowest per capita of any state we've spoken to.
 
Put it in Perspective
The $10 increase per month the Lodge is asking for is only $5.00 additional per two week paycheck. That's less than a couple of coffees or a lunch at Burger King. Make sure you put it in perspective and think of the need and the good it will do for our members.

Please think about the future when deciding how you vote on this issue. This is a priority for our Lodge to continue and to thrive given the needs and challenges for our future.  The Executive Board and the Board of Trustees recommends that you VOTE YES for the needed dues increase.

 

If approved your Board promises to use this money wisely and to increase services for you, the member.  We will continue to be expeditious in the use of your money and work to make it help improve your jobs as police officers to the best of our abilities.  Visit the Lodge Website for additional info.

 

If you have any additional questions or would like us to speak to your chapter please call me at (816) 509-7911 or Vice President Paul Brooks at (816) 729-3478.  See the FAQs.

 

Fraternally,

Rick Inglima, President
FOP Lodge #50