Governor Peter Shumlin and Vermont Troopers’ Association (VTA) President Michael O’Neil announced today that the Administration and the VTA have reached an agreement on a new labor contract, subject to ratification by the VTA membership.
The new contract is designed to address problems in recruitment and retention that were highlighted by a study conducted by the parties last year. That study concluded the starting pay and pay scale for Troopers were no longer competitive with other law enforcement agencies in Vermont or other states in the Northeast.
‘These positions are critical for the safety of all Vermonters, and we need to be able to recruit the best and the brightest and make sure we retain them,’ Shumlin said. ‘This new Pay Plan should do just that.’
O’Neil agreed, adding, ‘I am happy that the parties were able to address a problem critical to the long term safety and security of Vermonters.’
The Pay Plan takes effect in the second year of a two year contract. In the first year of the contract, there are no across-the-board salary increases, and step increases remain frozen. The physical fitness incentive program and compensation for work-related duties integral to the job that are performed during off duty hours, which had been given up in the previous contract, have been reinstated in the first year.
In the second year of the contract, in addition to the implementation of the new Pay Plan, step increases will resume and holiday benefits given up in the previous contract will be reinstated, with the lone exception of Columbus Day.
The troopers also recently accepted an increase in their pension contribution to be deducted from their paychecks of 1.3 percent to help the solvency of their pension fund and reduce the amount contributed by the state.
Source: Governor's office. 5.5.2011