PBA Files Grievances Over Miami-Dade Police Layoffs

Legal filings claim county mayor violated police contract

Less than a week after widespread layoffs were announced in the Miami-Dade Police Department, the police union followed through on promises to challenge the move when it filed numerous legal challenges to the firings.

The Police Benevolent Association Wednesday said that it had filed numerous legal challenges to Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez’s attempts to layoff police and correction officers.

A union statement characterized the layoffs as "clear and blatant violations of the contractual agreements between the PBA and the county which govern layoff and demotion procedures.”

118 police officers have been laid off, and 41 demoted because of the cuts.

"I think we’re up to 13 grievances, two unfair labor practices, and one public records lawsuit," PBA President John Rivera said. "This is what the mayor has forced us into the corner to do. We have a duty of fair representation to our members. We have a Constitution to the United States of America, state laws, county ordinances. The mayor has to abide by that stuff. And he has to abide by a thing we just passed called a contract."

Last week Gimenez vetoed a county commission vote against requiring the police union's members, as well as those another large county union, to kick in an additional 5 percent towards their healthcare in addition to the millions in concessions they have already made. The mayor said the unions together represent a $35 million "budget gap."

With the legal fight well underway and accusations being made against the mayor, the county said it had no comment Wednesday.

Miami-Dade Police Director James K. Loftus said his department will do whatever possible to minimize the impact of the layoffs on the community. He said the cuts will not affect 911 response times or violent crime investigations, though some areas will suffer.

"The investigation and prevention of property crimes, economic crimes, things of that nature. We will do less of that," Loftus said.

Sylvia Nadal, who has served with the department for four years, is one of the people losing her job.

"I'm pregnant, so nobody's gonna hire me," said Nadal, who is due to have her third child soon. "And I hope I can get insurance through my husband so I can actually go to the hospital and have this child."

According to the grievances, the PBA is requesting that the mayor withdraw “his illegal and improper veto” of the commission's action to not require an increase in the employee contribution to healthcare.

Union members vote tomorrow to accept or reject the PBA's decision to pay nothing extra for healthcare.

And the issue will come up again at Tuesday's county commission meeting.

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