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Monday, Sep. 28, 2009

More than 100 Macon police officers express interest in forming union

About 130 Macon police officers have filled out registration cards expressing interest in forming a union.

Sgt. Steve Draper said word spread after a group of 18 officers had meetings with the Teamsters’ Police League Union in the past several months.

A special election will be scheduled within the department once 140 to 150 officers, in the rank of sergeant and below, have filled out registration cards, Draper said.

“If we get 51 percent, we will unionize,” he said.

Draper said the push to unionize was spurred by officers bearing the burden of rising insurance costs, a loss of incentive pay and the city not having a pay scale.

If unionized, Draper said officers will sit down and draw up a contract to present to city officials.

For more on this story, return to macon.com and read Tuesday’s Telegraph.