The Tinley Park Village Board approved a four-year agreement with the Metropolitan Alliance of Police Tinley Park Chapter 192 Tuesday night, following 22 months of negotiation.
The union agreed to withdraw unfair labor practice charges in exchange for the village issuing retroactive payments, according to the meeting agenda.
Mayor Michael Glotz said Wednesday the agreement included 4% salary raises each year, over four years.
The agreement was ratified by union membership and is pending final execution, according to a statement from union President Fadi Hasan and Vice President JP Garrity.
Village and union officials reached a tentative agreement in January, and changes were made and reviewed by village officials, union attorneys and union members, according to the agenda. The previous contract ended April 30, 2024.
Mayor Michael Glotz thanked the village attorneys, police Chief Thomas Tilton and Village Manager Pat Carr for helping with the negotiations.
Hasan and Garrity said in their statement that at times negotiations were prolonged and contentious and, in their opinion, required the union to file an unfair labor practice charge with the Illinois Labor Relations Board. The union will withdraw that complaint upon full execution of the contract.
“The road to this contract was not easy,” Hasan and Garrity said. “This agreement reflects the dedication and patience of our membership, who continued to serve the Tinley Park community with professionalism and distinction throughout a difficult and drawn-out process.”
Hasan and Garrity said the agreement brings stability and that they look forward to a spirit of collaboration with the village. They also said the union is grateful for the support of the community.
A village statement in August said Tinley Park officials had attempted to negotiate a contract with the union for 15 months, even offering them the highest four-year pay increase in department history, according to Carr. But officials said the union’s “unwillingness to compromise” barred progress.
In August, more than three dozen Tinley Park police officers signed a vote of no confidence citing 63 reasons why they thought Tilton should be removed.
Ray Violetto, a union representative and retired detective, said at the time the village’s statement was misleading because he said the vote of no confidence has been “festering” in the department for much longer than the contract issues.
awright@chicagotribune.com
