The union objected to the parking lot change.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN — Not all Youngstown police officers have to walk the beat, but they're going to have to do a bit more walking to get to and from work.
A magistrate rejected a preliminary injunction by the Youngstown police patrolmen's union to reverse a city administration decision on where officers can park.
The Youngstown Police Association, representing 117 patrolmen, filed civil action in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. The YPA sought to force the city to continue to let members have 28 spots — 14 double parking spots — in the city hall lot.
The city took away 18 of those spots last month in the lot on the corner of West Boardman and Hazel streets, and provides about 200 parking places in a lot on South Phelps Street.
The YPA complained about the decision because its members have to walk farther to work.
But Magistrate Eugene J. Fehr dismissed the complaint Tuesday, writing in his decision that the union "failed to show by clear and convincing evidence that YPA will suffer irreparable injury by walking less than five minutes to work."
The union won't appeal the decision, said Edward Colon, YPA president.
The union's contract with the city expired Nov. 30 with the two sides going to fact-finding May 7 as well as binding arbitration, Colon said. The parking issue will be settled either through fact-finding and/or arbitration, he said.
During an April 18 court hearing, Colon said about 30 percent of patrol officers are older than 50, and many have unhealthy diets and health problems.
The magistrate wasn't convinced.
In his decision, he wrote that the union "provided no evidence beyond speculation" about the health issues.
"I don't consider this a win or a lose," Mayor Jay Williams said of Magistrate Fehr's decision. "We had to respond because of the legal action taken by the union. ... As far as I'm concerned, there is no adversarial relationship" with the patrol officers.
The union's contract requires the city to provide free, secure and ample parking for patrolmen. The South Phelps Street lot, near the city hall annex, meets those requirements, Mayor Jay Williams said.
Colon said the city's decision to take away most of the YPA spots in the city hall lot during contract negotiations was an "abuse of the process."
But the magistrate wrote that the city's directive "might be characterized as lacking in a spirit of cooperation" but that it did nothing improper.
While Colon doesn't see a quick resolution to the contract dispute, Williams said he remains optimistic the two sides will reach an agreement.
The city just came to a tentative three-year agreement with the union that represents ranking officers in the police department with ratification expected later this month, Williams said.
That deal came without the use of a fact finder or arbitrator, he said.
skolnick@vindy.com
Thursday, May 3, 2007
The union objected to the parking lot change.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN — Not all Youngstown police officers have to walk the beat, but they're going to have to do a bit more walking to get to and from work.
A magistrate rejected a preliminary injunction by the Youngstown police patrolmen's union to reverse a city administration decision on where officers can park.
The Youngstown Police Association, representing 117 patrolmen, filed civil action in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. The YPA sought to force the city to continue to let members have 28 spots — 14 double parking spots — in the city hall lot.
The city took away 18 of those spots last month in the lot on the corner of West Boardman and Hazel streets, and provides about 200 parking places in a lot on South Phelps Street.
The YPA complained about the decision because its members have to walk farther to work.
But Magistrate Eugene J. Fehr dismissed the complaint Tuesday, writing in his decision that the union "failed to show by clear and convincing evidence that YPA will suffer irreparable injury by walking less than five minutes to work."
The union won't appeal the decision, said Edward Colon, YPA president.
The union's contract with the city expired Nov. 30 with the two sides going to fact-finding May 7 as well as binding arbitration, Colon said. The parking issue will be settled either through fact-finding and/or arbitration, he said.
During an April 18 court hearing, Colon said about 30 percent of patrol officers are older than 50, and many have unhealthy diets and health problems.
The magistrate wasn't convinced.
In his decision, he wrote that the union "provided no evidence beyond speculation" about the health issues.
"I don't consider this a win or a lose," Mayor Jay Williams said of Magistrate Fehr's decision. "We had to respond because of the legal action taken by the union. ... As far as I'm concerned, there is no adversarial relationship" with the patrol officers.
The union's contract requires the city to provide free, secure and ample parking for patrolmen. The South Phelps Street lot, near the city hall annex, meets those requirements, Mayor Jay Williams said.
Colon said the city's decision to take away most of the YPA spots in the city hall lot during contract negotiations was an "abuse of the process."
But the magistrate wrote that the city's directive "might be characterized as lacking in a spirit of cooperation" but that it did nothing improper.
While Colon doesn't see a quick resolution to the contract dispute, Williams said he remains optimistic the two sides will reach an agreement.
The city just came to a tentative three-year agreement with the union that represents ranking officers in the police department with ratification expected later this month, Williams said.
That deal came without the use of a fact finder or arbitrator, he said.
skolnick@vindy.com
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Not all Youngstown police officers have to walk the beat, but they're going to have to do a bit more walking to get to...
