Under “effects bargaining,” Police Chief Tom Manger has to bargain everything about running his department with Police union leaders, such as distributing critical police equipment, redeploying officers to crime hot spots and even the revised policy on “Use of Force” -- important to protecting the public and officers alike -- that was sent to the Police Union for their “approval” on June 27, 2008.
In all, 15 Police Department policies are awaiting union leaders' “approval” -- 12 of them for more than two years. Under effects bargaining, police officers still don’t have to sign their time cards. The Police Chief could not even require that police officers have County email accounts – or check their email. It took months to negotiate that.
That makes no sense.
That’s why the County Council and the County Executive -- all pro-labor -- unanimously repealed “effects bargaining” – without affecting the continued right of the union to bargain wages, hours, working conditions and benefits on behalf of their members.
No other Police union in the entire State has “effects bargaining.” Neither does any other County union have it in their contract.
The issue will be on the November ballot.
A “FOR” vote on Question B is a vote that lets the Police Chief run the department in the most efficient and productive way and still protects the full range of collective bargaining enjoyed by all other Police unions across the State and all other County unions.
An “AGAINST” vote preserves union leaders’ power over the ability of the Police Chief to run the Police Department, impairing the effective and productive running of the department.
That’s what Question B is all about. Vote FOR Question B.
Read the Washington Post editorial: “Unshackling Montgomery’s Police”
See the list of Police policies dating back to June, 2008 that are awaiting Fraternal Order of Police “approval” before Chief Manger can implement them.
See a list of facts about Question B.
For more information, go to the Question B website.
