For about 6 years, the PBA has been trying to get paid for legitimate work done by its members. The FLSA lawsuit filed originally on 11/27/02.

The complaint alleges that supervisors wouldn't allow officers to use "compensatory time off" as thier contract outlines and have denied legitimate overtime pay due to the manner in which cops' schedules are developed by the NYPD.

It's amazing to me that Cops, arguably the most successful and efficient workers on the public payroll, need to sue to get paid fairly and according to their contract. Although this may be a bad time for the City to have to pay up for this lawsuit now, Bloomberg and Kelly should have considered this and settled this case earlier. Now they face paying a few hundred million dollars in back-pay when the city is broke.

The Cops should and will win this case and considering the overly generous labor agreements reached recently by the Mayor, I can't understand why this issue still lingers...

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written by Chance Haywood , November 11, 2008

As much as I want to see everyone get what is actually owed to them for work done I appreciate that my city is fighting to save every penny it can. Even is the one of the few instances where they actually are.

Also I believe the city builds into the budget funds for lawsuits like this. There is probably some escrow account with most, if not all, the funds the lawsuit will seek.

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written by Jay Golub , November 11, 2008

this isn't "saving" pennies. Actually, this is the city not paying cops for the work they've legitimately done.

Much of this problem stems from police brass trying to avoid the use of overtime in thier precincts.

But with the significant reduction in the size of the police force under Bloomberg, overtime costs will end up rising even further and it is critical that officers are paid not only according to thier contracts, but in a manner that is fair and that doesn't destroy already waning morale...

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written by Chance Haywood , November 11, 2008

Oh I have no doubt this does in some way come from the attempt to keep overtime costs "low" because it is an expenditure, if memory serves me correctly, has been rising at close to double digits rates the last three years.

Don't get me wrong Jay, as someone who worked in an industry well known for fudging overtime pay, I fully support people being paid for what the hours they work. However this is the sort of behavior we need to see from our elected officials because the unions have been able to run roughshod over the taxpayers for decades when it comes to pay scale, entitlements, and perks. As much as I detest Mayor Bloomberg at the moment for his attempt to overturn the term-limits set by the people the guy has been as smart with the taxpayer's money as any mayor I've ever seen. There is obviously something in the contract the city's legal team thinks it can work to the city's advantage and as good representatives of our money they should see it through. Even if they might be wrong I'd rather see them fighting to save me that money.

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written by Jay Golub , November 11, 2008

Bloomberg just signed a huge increase in for DC37 - the largest public union in the City. This on the heels of huge deals for both the Teachers and, more recently, the cops.

If - and i say that loosely - the Mayor was good on these issues before, his desire to buy his way into a third term has ended his firm stance against union benefit increases.

Honestly CH, this Mayor has spent more of your hardearned tax dollars than any Mayor in our history. He's increased the budget 52% in his first 7 years in office by raising taxes more than 70% over that same period.

If it's someone who looks out for liberty you're looking for, you need to look somewhere else - and that includes the liberty of your wallet...

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written by Chance Haywood , November 11, 2008

I have to admit I wasn't overly thrilled with the DC37 contract. And despite the budget increases, as huge as they have been, we both know a majority of this was beyond his control with the entitlements and debt obligations created before he arrived.

Personally I'm going to work extra hard to prevent him from getting that third term.

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written by Jay Golub , November 12, 2008

"we both know a majority of this was beyond his control with the entitlements and debt obligations created before he arrived."

If that's the case CH, why do you think people are arguing we need to keep him around for 4 more years?

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