Police contract talks go into the morning
Police chief Mike Metcalf.
Police chief Mike Metcalf
The two sides involved in the much-publicized Peel Regional Police contract dispute, are meeting into the wee hours of the morning in an effort to reach a tentative deal.
Members of the Peel Regional Police Association and the Peel Police Services Board began talks at an undisclosed location at around 1 p.m. Wednesday (Nov. 14) and had yet to conclude negotiations at 11 p.m.
Some 1,700 officers, represented by the Association, have been without a contract since Jan. 1.
The dispute is set to go to an arbitrator, but both sides went back to the bargaining table Sunday night.
Several issues have left the membership disgruntled, including benefits during maternity leave and other leaves of absence, salary, the transfer process, the promotion process and shift work.
Since Sept. 26, officers have been refusing to work overtime and issuing warnings instead of traffic tickets, the latter costing the Cities of Mississauga and Brampton thousands of dollars in daily revenue.
In an effort to draw more attention to the labour dispute, officers plan to start wearing baseball caps and buttons carrying the message "24/7" Thursday. The message is to residents, meaning Peel police have always been there for the public, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The escalation of the job action campaign is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. - about four hours before Peel Police Chief Mike Metcalf is to be honoured at the annual Crime Stoppers Dinner.
Bruce Chapman, interim president of the Peel Police Regional Association, refused to comment on the timing of the action as to whether the date was chosen because of the chief's dinner.
But Metcalf has warned the rank and file that they could face disciplinary action should they don caps and alter their official uniform.
lrosella@mississauga.net
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