Three Year Contract Awarded to Sheriff’s Office and Register of Wills Employees
PHILADELPHIA – The City of Philadelphia and more than 300 employees of the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office and Register of Wills represented by the Fraternal Order of Police today received an arbitrators’ award for a new contract. The employees received a three-year contract which covers the period from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2020.
Under the award, employees’ pension plans will be subject to a progressive tiered pension contribution structure for current members and a stacked hybrid plan for new members. The award also includes payment modernization elements including direct deposit or a “pay card” for all employees. This pension reform matches that which District Council 33, the largest municipal union, agreed to in a negotiated settlement in 2016.
Sheriff’s Office employees will receive a stepped wage increase of 3 percent effective retroactively to July 2017, 3.25 percent increase effective July 2018, as well as a 3.25 percent increase in July 2019. Register of Wills employees will receive wage increases of 3 percent effective retroactively July 2017, 2.5 percent effective July of 2018, and 3 percent effective July of 2019.
State law dictates that some City contracts are decided by a panel of three arbitrators, one selected by the City, one selected by the union, and one neutral arbitrator. The arbitrators hear testimony from numerous witnesses and review exhibits presented by both parties before issuing their decision.
The arbitrators’ decision is available on request.