Local PBA vs FOP

[ypdk9twofive 0]

This question is for LEO's, what do you think is better the PBA style unions we have up here or the FOP that's huge that they have down south and in the west.

I have several relocated friends in FL and Washington that claim whatever they want they get with contracts and the FOP has more professional courtesy than our PBA unions up here. I'm a member of FOP 957 out of Orange County and I have had better offers for discount 2nd dental and a cheap second life insurance policy and with all this anti union buisness spreading I'm asking for any LEO active or retired to answer the question. Is it better to have a national organzation with all its resources to represent you or would you rather have the local more personal PBA be our barganing chip. I believe based on my memebership at 40 dollars I get a lot of bang for my buck with FOP and am curious to see what they would do on a local regional or statewide level in NYS.

[helicopper 1,050]

I don't think this is as simple as choosing to join the FOP for $40 and getting the same level of services provided by most PBA's. There are many variables, first is that the PBA's are the collective bargaining units for most police departments and it would take a lot of effort to change that to the FOP. It isn't like an individual can opt out of your PBA and into the FOP and receive the same benefits/protection/services.

As for FOP members getting "anything they want" in a contract, I'd say show me the contract. This is probably the worst I've ever seen collective bargaining or the relationship between unions and municipalities in the 22 years I've been a government employee and NY is one of the stronger places for benefits. There are plenty of police agencies represented by PBA's that have pretty impressive contracts. This is one of the reasons for the anti-union, anti-police problem we face.

There are benefits to broader representation and larger associations and there are several groups in NY that are representing or assisting collectives of PBA's to increase their strength. I'm not sure how the FOP would play into that for NY PBA's.

Professional courtesy is just that. There are cops in PBA's that exemplify professional and do whatever is within their power for others in the family and there are FOP members who would write or collar a cop from their own county so I don't think it is PBA or FOP that makes the difference here. Again, It is many different things influencing this.

Sorry that I couldn't answer one way or the other. I think there are lots of different moving parts to the union, collective bargaining, muncipal relationship and some are stronger than others so some prosper while others languish.