Rockford’s city council last night unanimously approved a labor agreement with the city police.
The measure provides a six-dollar, twenty-five cent hourly wage increase over the next three years, and insurance over the next four years. 12th Ward Alderman John Beck says the final vote was quite straightforward.
“I think it was a very fair agreement, and I appreciate that the police were willing to face the realities of what the city is facing as far as our financial situation, and weren’t asking for too much. It made it a really easy process,” he said.
He attributes this success to an extended period of negotiation.
“The fact that they kept making more progress every time they met kind of encourages both parties to continue to go after it instead of saying, “you know what, we’re never going to agree, so let’s just go to an arbitrator,”” he said.
The agreement also clarifies the status of state Representative John Cabello, who has been on leave from on the force. He’ll be allowed to do police work when he's in Rockford, but can’t pursue legislative matters while on police time.