CARIBOU, Maine — The final hearing on a grievance regarding Caribou PD filed by the New England Police Benevolent Association to the Maine Labor Board will occur in Augusta on May 2.
In a recent press release the NEPBA states that Caribou is conducting “bad faith” bargaining practices by allegedly withdrawing from an agreement to issue union officers retroactive pay. According to the release, the “city claimed to have told the mediator about the change, but the mediator failed to tell the Association.” The grievance, according to the NEPBA, was filed because they claim the city refused to negotiate any further.
Local police union members have argued that the retention rate of officers, along with their pay, is among the lowest in the state, and costs the city thousands of dollars in regularly scheduled overtime.
“The previous pattern of schedule work hours was not conducive to a normal work cycle and was not beneficial to any type of normal family life or standard sleeping habits,” the press release said. “Furthermore, this pattern of hours was both unpredictable and caused excessive overtime by forcing our members to additional unforeseen work.”
Among the allegations delineated in the release, the NEPBA stated that Caribou City Council has acknowledged that their police department was 20 percent underpaid, and that they agreed to give “most non-union employees pay increases starting in 2017.”
“Clearly,” the release continues, “the message from the Caribou City Council is one of anti-union bias, promulgated by (then City Manager Austin Bleess’) unwillingness to bargain in good faith.”
Since the matter is still pending with the Maine Labor Board, interim City Manager and Police Chief Michael Gahagan refused to comment.
