Police pact OK’d Jim Thorpe includes 3.5 % annual increase

Jim Thorpe Borough police officers have a new contract following an arbitrator’s settlement, borough council announced Thursday night.

The four-year contract calls for a 3.5 percent wage rate increase each year and a $1,000 health reimbursement account per officer each year.

According to the settlement, officers will also receive longevity pay. After five years with the department, officers will receive $300. Each additional year will add $80 until officers hit a $500 cap.

“We’re thankful we now have a police contract in place,” borough President Greg Strubinger said. “Because this was an arbitrator’s ruling, council did not have to vote on the contract tonight.”

Thorpe police filed two unfair labor practice charges against the borough over the course of the last two years claiming the borough unilaterally changed the officers’ health care benefits.

In the first complaint, the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board sided with the union.

Jim Thorpe police had been working without a contract since the previous collective bargaining agreement ended on Dec. 31, 2016.

The two sides had an interest arbitration hearing regarding the police contract in July.

Mayor Michael Sofranko said Thursday night the police department will alter the way it staffs shifts following language in the arbitration settlement that caps officers’ sick time at 1,000 hours.

“We do have one, maybe two officers that hit that 1,000 hours so they will need to take a sick day once or twice a month in some cases or lose those hours,” Sofranko said. “Officers’ previously worked 12-hour shifts, but we’ll be moving to eight-hour shifts in April to provide for more flexibility in complying with that part of the contract. We’ll also be looking to add part-time officers to help us cover shifts when we have officers using sick time.”