NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson City Council approved a new contract with the members of its police union on Tuesday.
"Negotiation got started in March," said HR Director Tom Sanders. "We had six sessions with the FOP and were able to come to an agreement on August 9. Changes and modifications include Article 7, which adds new indemnification language, which holds the city harmless, should there be any disputes related to payroll deduction of union dues."
The cops in Hutchinson under the contract will get a raise.
"Officers scale will move 6.85% and the bottom of the Seargeants scale will move 6.6%," Sanders said. "There's going to be also, at the first of the year, additional pay adjustments, recognizing past performance in years 2019 and 2021. Those increases will vary from 3.5% to .75%."
They also agreed on special duty pay at an additional $1.25 per hour for those assigned to detective, special operations or the crisis response team. There is also additional paid leave recognizing Martin Luther King Day as a holiday starting in 2023. There was also a clarification of the non-statutory additional compensation for those officers that are a part of the National Guard or other military reserve units.