The long-awaited contract agreement between the Philadelphia FOP and the city finally arrived on Friday (Dec 18). For better or worse, this arbitration agreement will influence the city contract talks with the fire fighters union, the blue-collar workers (District Council 33) and the unionized white-collar workers (DC47). The police pact essentially offers a trade: pay increases totalling seven percent over three years in exchange for union concessions in health and pension costs. The police also won an easing of the city's residency rules so they can move out to the Pennsylvania burbs if they wish. (It may empty out Somerton). Now, the Nutter administration has the template to work out a deal with the other unions, whose contracts expired earlier this year. In effect, they've all been waiting for the police deal to be struck. Whether there are enough long-term savings to offset the short-term cost of pay increases remains to be seen.
