Police Union sues Buffalo over takehome cars

[MoreOfTheSame]

Apparently the police union is suing the city because the number of take home cars assigned to police officials will be cut from 50 to 30.

What interests me most is this:

The grievance maintains that because certain members of the Police Department have been provided city take-home vehicles for many years, the perk represents a benefit that cannot be eliminated without mutual agreement.

Is it listed in the contract in writing somewhere? If not, what is the union's basis for complaining? Just because they got something they were not supposed to and the gravy train ride is coming to an end is no reason to run to the courts.

[Save Us]

AWWWW.... somebody's grumpy because they lost their little perky werky...

I think they little a time out on the stool.

[GG716]

Screw the unions cops, there are only a small handful of Buffalo cops where a take home car could be justified. About time someone took the pacifiers out of your mouths.

[Enough]

Wanna take-home vehicle?

NEGOTIATE IT IN YOUR CONTRACT!

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

What it means is there were a lot of guys who moved to the 2nd ring burbs and were commuting in city cars and with city gas.

Now that the car is gone, they will have to get something and start paying gas. For some, this is a $700/month hit depending on what you drive.


I think it is funny.

[MoreOfTheSame]

A few months ago I tried to report a crime. Frankly, I felt treated like crap the entire time. The employees were downright rude. None of the civilian employees wear nametags and the ones I dealt with had major attitude problem even when I was polite (nothing says classy like raising your voice and using phrases like "...and if you got a problem with that..."). Many police officers seem to have a casual and disinterested attitude about their jobs.

Of all my friends and co-workers that have had interactions with the BPD the majority seem to be overwhelmingly negative. Poor customer service, poor attitudes, downright hostility (even if the person is a victim or trying to pass along information or report a crime). For example, A janitor at my office told me about how he recently saw a burglary in his neighborhood and across the street sat a BPD car. He claimed he went up to the window and pointed the problem out to the officer who told him to "call 911, somebody will eventually get to it." I am sure other people here have other stories.

Yet the police have no problem getting quite vocal about their pay and benefits or going to court over the removal of non-contracted perks when the city is swimming in red ink.

It seems like the police officers are frequently angry, and they have some legitimate gripes. But the way to get the citizens of the city on your side is not to engage in completely inflammatory and childish actions like parking/ traffic ticket blitzes or call for wildcat strikes.

Respect is a two way street. I'd like to see some more from the BPD towards the law abiding citizens of this city.

[Save Us]

The unions in the area fight tooth and nail to do what is in the best interest of the community overall,, it's sad.

I think most of us are starting to wake up, and are begining to realize who works for who.

Unfortunately the tides of private person supporting the public person are getting more and more off balance... this area as a whole has too many govt workers including politicians!!!

NY is not on a good path... folks.

[run4it]

The unions in the area fight tooth and nail to do what is in the best interest of the community overall,, it's sad.

I think most of us are starting to wake up, and are begining to realize who works for who.

Unfortunately the tides of private person supporting the public person are getting more and more off balance... this area as a whole has too many govt workers including politicians!!!

NY is not on a good path... folks.

So go ahead and show us a few positions, describe their duties, and tell us who will do those duties when those positions are cut.

I'm not saying you're incorrect, I'd just like to see that you actually know what you're talking about...

[TOOLBAGS]

NY is not on a good path... folks.

My path has and will be working just fine. No complaints.....maybe its just u??? I choose to live here. If I wanted to or felt the need to complain about everything I would leave (voting in politicians doesnt work, they are all the same). MAKE the system work for YOU..you seem to be a smart dude, figure it out.

[LHardy]

My path has and will be working just fine. No complaints.....maybe its just u??? I choose to live here. If I wanted to or felt the need to complain about everything I would leave (voting in politicians doesnt work, they are all the same). MAKE the system work for YOU..you seem to be a smart dude, figure it out.

I'm not sure but too me your whole statement tells us, work for the government or take from the government if you want to make it in WNY.

[run4it]

I'm not sure but too me your whole statement tells us, work for the government or take from the government if you want to make it in WNY.

Just because someone doesn't agree with you or *gasp* does better than you, doesn't mean they do so by nefarious or exploitative means. If you can't be happy and productive in your own life, that's your bag. There are plenty of us who ARE quite prosperous, both monetarilly and personally.

By the way bLowHardy...do you really think that there should be NO government workers? NO public administration? if so, you're a bigger idjit than I thought. If not, then you might want to change your tune on your blanket condemnations and denigrations of all government workers.

[TOOLBAGS]

I'm not sure but too me your whole statement tells us, work for the government or take from the government if you want to make it in WNY.

There are plenty of WNY'ers who do not work for the government and our successfull, they dont complain, and do what they have to do. What are you doing wrong? Why do you look for an excuse for your short comings? Gotta look at what you are doing wrong my man. Stop trying to blame the government for YOUR problems when there are plenty who do just fine. You just don't hear from them because they are not complainers....hmmm you think thats why they got ahead???

[run4it]

Apparently the police union is suing the city because the number of take home cars assigned to police officials will be cut from 50 to 30.

What interests me most is this:

Is it listed in the contract in writing somewhere? If not, what is the union's basis for complaining? Just because they got something they were not supposed to and the gravy train ride is coming to an end is no reason to run to the courts.

By the way, as for the initial premise of this thread, I agree completely. If it's not written in, too bad. Either negotiate it in the next time the contract is up, or else friggin get over it. If it IS written in, then by all means sue away...but somehow from the tone of what was written here, I'm guessing it's more "assumed" than "affirmed".

[atotaltotalfan2001]

By the way, as for the initial premise of this thread, I agree completely. If it's not written in, too bad. Either negotiate it in the next time the contract is up, or else friggin get over it. If it IS written in, then by all means sue away...but somehow from the tone of what was written here, I'm guessing it's more "assumed" than "affirmed".

I don't think getting take-home vehicles has to be the contract. There is a lot of precedent in which unions can argue that the cars have been a long practice and that to take them away represents a change in working conditions -- and that is something unions have successfully used in the past.

[CSense]

What I find hypocritical ...

Cars were taken due to the cost of gas.....

Still, Brown said that as gas costs continue to rise, the city wants to take additional steps to try to control fuel consumption. Taxpayers have had to "tighten their belts," the mayor said.

"City government must tighten its belt as well, especially in this time of economic difficulty, by cutting our gasoline and energy consumption and deferring all nonessential travel and purchases," Brown added..

....but yet he gets to take home a car because he's on call 24/7....

The mayor uses two city-owned vehicles, depending on the season. In better weather, he uses a 2006 Ford Crown Victoria that is in the Police Department's fleet, according to documents filed Thursday with the Common Council. During the snowy season, he uses a 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe assigned to the Fire Department.

Brown made it clear Thursday that he has no intention of suspending his use of take-home vehicles, noting that his activities as mayor require him to be available after hours.

However when criticzed by some, Brown basically states.....

ttp://www.wgrz.com/news/investigative/youpaidforit/story.aspx?storyid=59190&catid=220

....that the "practice" started before him (Griffin, Masiello) and should continue, all the while claiming "political" motivations.

Yet, when the police state "past practice" and 24/7 use...

...the union argued that the city should not be permitted to take away the vehicles until an arbitrator can review the case. The grievance maintains that because certain members of the Police Department have been provided city take-home vehicles for many years, the perk represents a benefit that cannot be eliminated without mutual agreement.

In the court papers, the union insisted that law enforcers with take-home vehicles are on call at all hours, including detectives in the Evidence Unit.

"The individuals assigned to the unit are called out literally hundreds of times during each calendar year, and on some weekends repeatedly each day of the weekend," the lawsuit read.

Hmmm, hypocrite is such an understatement for the slug.