Members of the PBA bargaining unit will meet again with
Miami-Dade Human Resources Director Arlene Cuellar today to try to reach an agreement on the contract with the Miami-Dade Police employees, both sworn and civilian.
But already it looks like things are going better than before — if only because they are talking and this is the second meeting in less than two weeks.
The first meeting earlier this month was marked by questions that were asked about the healthcare option that the employees are being given and on which much of the mayor’s budget fixes are fixed on.
Read related story: Fight! PBA and county meet today to discuss contract
“They just didn’t have answers. And without answers, I’m not taking it to my membership,” said PBA President John Rivera.
But, he noted, the tone of the conversation has changed since Cuellar took over from Tyrone Williams, who the PBA protested because he had been their lead negotiator once upon a time.
“At least it was conducted in a professional manner,” Rivera said about the first bargaining session.
Certainly, the administration seems more, um, motivated to come to an agreement. And why not? The PBA contract would be the feather in Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos “Cry 
Wolf” Gimenez‘s hat. He’s been reaching agreements with most of the other unions and passing this hurdle with the one labor organization with which he has historically been most at odds would be the best thing right now for the beleaguered leader who is even considering switching parties, for Henry Flagler’s sake. Without waiting to see how well it works out for Charlie Crist, even.
Read related story: Mayor Gimenez more friendly to unions
But while the atmosphere may be friendlier, Rivera said that may not necessarily mean the two sides will come to terms very soon.
“I’m an eternal optimist. I will also tell you we are very far apart,” Rivera told Ladra. When asked what were some of the deal breakers, he mentioned the raise formula, which depends on revenue increases and other thresholds that must be met.
“It is this convoluted complex thing we can’t even figure it out,” he said. “You have to reach step one, then four, then go through loop two and come back to three.”
The agreement reached with other unions calls for a 1 percent cost of living increase in two years if the ad valorem revenue, just from property taxes, goes up a certain percentage. But there may be other criteria.
And there’s always the fear that the mayor will lower taxes rather than give an inch to employees.
“No, we’re not going to fall for that,” Rivera told me.
Round II: PBA meets again with county honchos over contract added by Ladra on
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