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Las Vegas Police Union 'done talking' with leadership after last-minute contract maneuver

Posted at 8:37 PM, Oct 25, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-26 09:56:56-04

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The largest police union in Nevada is vowing to fight the latest terms of a contract for rank-and-file officers at Las Vegas Metropolitan Police after a last minute contract maneuver by department leadership.

"It's starting to get into union busting," said Las Vegas Police Protective Association President Steve Grammas.

"When you start stripping away rights from the contract, you're starting to get in there," added Grammas.

The union and the department were unable to come to an agreement on the contract and the process ended up in arbitration.

Grammas says an arbitrator decided on less-than-desired raises for officers at 2.25% next year and 2.5& the year after, but it's what happened afterward that has him and his membership seeing red.

"It's hurtful to our people that risk their lives everyday," said Grammas.

According to the LVPPA, Metro Police leadership eliminated several job protections for officers including notice for sudden work schedules, a rebuttal process for performance appraisals, and the right for officers to review their own personnel files.

In all, six protections were removed from the current form of the contract.

“The biggest thing is it’s tax dollars and it also impacts public safety because of the players involved," said Michael Schaus with the Nevada Policy Research Institute.

Schaus says any contract negotiation with public labor unions and government agencies should be as open and transparent as possible.

"We just saw this with CCSD, with them going back-and-forth with the district, it seems like this is a reoccurring theme throughout government at pretty much every level," added Schaus.

13 Investigates reached out to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for comment but a request was not returned.

The contract will go before the Fiscal Affairs Committee on Monday at 9 a.m. at Metro Police Headquarters where the contract will be considered for approval.

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