Baltimore County Announces Federation of Public Employees Labor Deal

Baltimore County reached a labor agreement with the Federation of Public Employees on Monday, leaving the police union as the only county workers without a contract extension.

The 1,460 employees represented by the federation will receive a 3 percent bonus, a 3 percent cost of living increase and guaranteed no furloughs or layoffs through fiscal year 2016, according to a news release.

"I am really proud of our employees and their representatives," Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz said in a news release. "Our employees get it.  They appreciate the security that this new agreement provides, and they understand that our labor agreements must be fair to them and sustainable for taxpayers."  

Employees represented by the federation, include correctional officers, emergency communication technicians and crew chiefs.

But it’s unclear when the police union and county may start negotiating, let alone agree to a contract.

Ellen Kobler, a spokeswoman for the county, referred questions about why the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 4 is the last group to sign a contract to the union.

"We’re still in negotiations," Kobler said. 

But Cole Weston, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 4, said the union sent a letter on Oct. 9 indicating its intent to negotiate a contract with the county, but have yet to hear back.

"We haven’t even had a meeting with them," Weston said.

He also declined to speculate on why his union was singled out in the release as the last group to sign a contract with the county.

"[The county] can speak to that. I’m not surprised that they elected to single us out, but they can speak to that," Weston said.   

Currently the union is in a dispute with county about how much it pays in premiums for some retired officers.