Today the culmination of some very successful legislation for our Lodge came to fruition. The passage of House Bill 570 now guarantees through State Law the right for Police Officers of the Louisville Metro Police Department to engage in collective bargaining for wages hours and other compensation.
On January 6, 2003 the City of Louisville and Jefferson County merged governments. With that came the immediate merger of the two respective Police Departments. Both Police Departments were represented by FOP's, and along with the merger we formed from Jefferson County Lodge #14 and Louisville Lodge #6 the River City Fraternal Order of Police Lodge # 614. Both Lodges previously enjoyed collective bargaining rights guaranteed under their former governments, and we made sure that the temporary merger compact legislated a continuation of these rights. The problem is that in 2008 when the compact expires we could not be guaranteed the continuation of these rights.Our Brothers and Sisters in Lexington Bluegrass Lodge # 4 stressed the importance of this issue to us. on January 1, 1974 Lexington became the first Kentucky community to consolidate city and county governments into a single system. The merger of Lexington city and Fayette County governments was the result of almost four years of planning. The Lexington Police Department represented by Bluegrass Lodge #4 had collective bargaining prior to the merger. After the merger the collective bargaining somehow slipped under the radar screen and as a result they lost collective bargaining. You need only ask any Lexington Officer how important this lost benefit was to them. They are not even in the State Hazardous Duty pension program. Their wages and benefits are subject to the whims of their Mayor. The Lexington Officers were successful in getting House Bill 572 which mirrored our House Bill passed. Now the two largest communities in the Commonwealth will both have collective bargaining rights guaranteed by State Law.Special thanks go out to the lobbyists from our Lodge Vice President Jon Pugh, Sate Lodge Trustee Chris Brands & Delegate Luke Howard who have worked tirelessly with the State Representatives to get this passed. Thanks to Chuck Masserone and his crew from Lexington that also worked to get these bills passed. We would also like to take the time to thank all of the State Representatives and Senators and Governor Ernie Fletcher for recognizing the importance of this legislation to the members of both departments and their families. You assistance will not be forgotten.