SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO-AM) Sioux Falls police officers have overwhelmingly rejected a new two year labor agreement with South Dakota's largest city.
Fraternal Order of Police Attorney Tom Wilka says the 3 percent pay raise over two years was "totally inconsistent" with the compensation it takes to recruit and retain good people. He says the city finds money for other priorities.
"The city has all kinds of money for this project or another project, the latest being the 25 million dollar administration building," Wilka tells KELO Radio News. "and then to turn around and be told that you are only going to get a raise that is less than is what is commonly done in both public and private sectors in this region, that really produces a negative reaction on the part of people."
The negative reaction was to the tune of a 95 percent rejection of the contract offer.
Wilka says the city is "digging in its heels" against further negotiation.
The Fraternal Order of Police represents approximately 220 of the 252 officers and sergeants on the Sioux Falls police force..
Collective bargaining began on a new contract in May. The city says this was its final and best offer after seven bargaining sessions. The city says it plans to implement the final offer the first of the year. The current labor agreement expires December 31.
City officials say they offered to reopen talks on wage increases for 2018 if audited 12-month rolling sales tax returns improved to 5.5 percent or greater at year-end 2016. Cities across South Dakota are being challenged by slumping sales tax revenues.
The starting pay scale for Police officers in 2016 is $23.53 per hour ($48,942 per year), and top scale is $33.39 per hour ($69,451 per year). The starting pay for Police sergeants in 2016 is $35.89 per hour ($74,651 per year), and top scale is $38.48 per hour ($80,038 per year).