On Monday, June 21, 2010, Council Bill 10-0519 - Pension Benefits - passed the City Council on Third Reader by a vote of 9-5.

Voting against Council Bill 10-0519 and with the FOP and IAFF were Council members Mary Pat Clark, Nick D'Adamo, Jim Kraft, Belinda Conaway and Warren Branch.  To each and every one of them, we say "Thank You" and we appreciate your support for the hard work and dedication to duty every police officer and firefighter perfoms each day in our City.

Voting in favor of Council Bill 10-0519 and against the FOP and IAFF were Council members Bill Cole, Helen Holton, Carl Stokes, Ed Reisenger, Agnes Welch, Sharon Green Middleton, Rochelle Spector, Robert Curran and President Bernard "Jack" Young.  To each and every one of them, we say "We Will Remember" today's vote and the fact that despite the Unions offering a compromise that would have saved the City close to $70 million for FY2011, you chose instead to break the promise the City made to each and every police officer and firefighter.

We expect the Mayor to sign Bill 10-0519 and the Unions' lawyers from Saul Ewing, LLP will be providing an update shortly as to our next step.  The fight to protect and preserve our pension benefits continues......

Fraternally,

Bob Cherry

On Thursday, June 10th, by a 5-0 vote, the Taxation, Finance and Economic Development Committee voted Council Bill 10-0519 out of committee and on to the full City Council floor.  The bill is expected to be heard this coming Monday evening.

The Unions had opposed this bill and at today's hearing, we again submitted our own proposal for pension reform that would grandfather all current police and fire members in the plan and provide a guaranteed 2% COLA for post-retirement pay raises.  Despite an excellent presentation by our actuary, Tom Lowman, as well as our attorney from Saul Ewing, Charlie Monk, Esq., the committee rejected our proposal.

It appears we do not have enough votes on the City Council to prevent passage of Bill 10-0519, so the Unions withdrew our proposals that were submitted as amendments to Bill 10-0519, and we will proceed with the suit against the Mayor and City Council in the United States District Court for the State of Maryland.

On behalf of every FOP member, active and retired, I want to thank President John Lewandowski of the BRPBA and our FOP Pension Committee for all their hard work these past two years and for their passionate testimony today. 

The fight has only just begun and the Unions will not back down.  We will work to protect the contractually guaranteed pension benefits for every active and retired member of our organization.  There is strength in unity and I ask each and every one of you to join us in this fight and stand tall. 

Fraternally yours,

Bob Cherry

After months of concerted efforts to work with the City of Baltimore to reach a settlement relative to the Fire and Police Employees' Retirement System (F&P), Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge #3 and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), Local #734, have failed to reach an agreement with the City.

On June 3, 2010, FOP Lodge #3 and IAFF Local #734 filed a Class Action Complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.

On Monday, June 7, 2010, a new pension bill will be introduced to the City Council to replace Bill 10-0482.  We remain opposed to this new legislation as well.  A hearing is scheduled for Thursday, June 10th at 10:00 a.m. at City Hall.  We need every FOP member, active and retired, to turn out at City Hall and oppose this new legislation.  Please spread the word.  After the hearing, refreshments will be served at IAFF Local #734's hall.

This is the biggest fight and challenge that has faced the FOP in over 40 years.  Let's keep fighting back!  Our members deserve no less.

Fraternlly yours,     

Bob Cherry                                                                     Click for Copy of Complaint