By Fran Spielman
Chicago Sun-Times
CHICAGO — Chicago Police officers could retire with premium health benefits at age 55, instead of 60, under a deal reached Wednesday that could save the city $23 million and pave the way for an infusion of younger officers.
Nearly 700 officers currently fall between the ages of 55 and 60 and could be lured into retirement, if only they were guaranteed affordable health care, said Fraternal Order of Police President Mark Donahue.
The memorandum of understanding hammered out between the city and the FOP — and ratified Wednesday by the union’s executive board — would do just that.
It would extend retiree health care to officers who call it quits at age 55 and their eligible dependents, provided the officers agree to accept a “staggered pay out” of accumulated comp time.
Currently, police officers must wait until age 60 to retire with premium health benefits that include free premiums but require them to pay co-pays until age 65, when they become eligible for Medicare.
If all or most of the candidates take advantage of the early-retirement perk, Chicago taxpayers could save $23 million over the next three years.
The average age of Chicago police officers under the rank of sergeant is 41.5. The starting annual salary is $43,104. The maximum for veteran officers is $96,072.
“It shows the [union’s] willingness to help address the financial straits of the city of Chicago,” Donahue said.
“Their plan is to have more tenured officers retire and hire new recruits at a lower wage scale. … Not only does this help the city with their liability for that overtime compensation. It allows for the potential of $23 million in savings over those three years.”
And what’s in it for union members?
“They will now be able to retire at age 55. It’s the opportunity to retire at an earlier age and secure health care benefits at the same time,” Donahue said.
Last week, Mayor Daley said he would ask an independent arbitrator to dictate new contracts with police officers and firefighters and pressured police and fire to help solve the city’s financial crisis.
During his annual State-of-the-City address, Daley noted that public safety employees who account for 70 percent of city spending were excused from a cost-cutting plan that required other city unions to choose between layoffs and furlough days.
“They’re not in the boat. We’re in the boat. …We’re asking them to get back in the boat. … They have to be part of the solution and not part of the problem,” he said.
On Wednesday, Donahue acknowledged that contract talks were “deadlocked over finances and disciplinary issues.”
“We anticipate continuing to negotiate, but that the arbitration process will begin simultaneously to try to reduce the number of outstanding issues that ultimately go to an arbitrator,” he said.
Copyright 2009 Chicago Sun-Times