Agreement Reached In Police Association Talks
The Bermuda Police Association [BPA] and the Government of Bermuda have reached an agreement in respect of a temporary modification to the Conditions of Service Order ["COSO"].
Chairman of the Bermuda Police Association, Sgt. Andrew A. Harewood said, “In an effort to assist the Government and people of Bermuda during these economic times, the BPA has agreed that for the period 1st of February, 2016 to 31st of March, 2017, to:
- 1. Give one furlough day per month for 14 months commencing the 1st February 2016.
- 2. Freeze promotion;
- 3. Suspend free bus and ferry travel;
- 4. Be paid overtime at straight time for continuous duty;
- 5. Take a pay freeze
- 6. Continue to work with the Commissioner’s office in support of his budget reduction strategy
“It was also agreed that the issue of the Safety, the Welfare and the Well-being of the membership of the BPA shall form part of the Terms of Reference of a Working Group appointed to explore the issues surrounding Government Employees Health Insurance [GEHI].”
Overtime at straight time? Kudos BPS! thats dedication!
Overpaid and underworked
You must be referring to the private sector that have none of these perks and still pay 50% of the medical coverage, don’t get to retire after just 25 years, don’t get OT, don’t have defined benefit pension plans…the list goes on and on. Our civil servants are a very spoilt bunch
Private sectors are WORSE
It says “4. Be paid overtime at straight time for continuous duty“
I read this as if at work all ready any extra at straight time. So i am guessing if called in,will not at straight time. Am i correct to anyone who knows out there? Its great an agreement has been made.
Bermuda Police Service ,you have been an honorable Police Service during my tenure 1963-1972.You have represented your country well and the members of the Service under most trying and stringent times.History will applaud you,my hat is off to all the men and women who faithfully served,duty and honor before self.Thanks to the Almighty and the People of Bermuda .Continued long life and service to the Bermuda Public.Peace. Congratulations and success in your negotiations.
from what I understand if they are on the job and need to stay an hour or ten behind that will be straight pay,but what happens when they have to work easter sunday or get called in on their days off or a few hours prior to their shift ! they will get a hell of a lot more than straight pay do not get lost in translation!
Government fighting a loosing battle.
it is people like ‘sebring’ who spread mis-information and causes more to believe foolishness. Think before you speak. Gather facts before opening your trap. Easter Sunday is not a holiday. The law requires that whenever you work on a public holiday a worker must be paid at double time. Why give that up?
Those of us that are professionals in the private industry work public holidays a lot of the time for NO pay because that’s just part of the job.
Good for you SMH. When you were considering your career path perhaps you should have taken into account benefits. Or, perhaps you did look at joining the Police but couldn’t hack it.
How bumb can they be!!!!
And for the record the police do not contribute to the pension fund!!!!
Do they don’t have to pay for their pension or medical coverage? OMG
How ‘bumb’ can you be ?
Get your facts straight. Police contribute more because they retire at 55.
If the island bullies had half the class of those that protect us, Bermuda would be well along the path to economic stability and social harmony. Bermuda’s downfall will be the BIU”s biggest legacy.
most of these guys drive fancy suv I doubt they would make a difference on having to pay for bus or ferry .
That comment is completely untrue.
‘sebring’ you have issues. Do you know that the police are taken full advantage of? They are to only organization that cannot strike, they have to get permission to travel on their off days, they cannot get a second job without first getting permission from the Top Cop and when seeking permission to work a second job to make ends meet, they cannot work certain jobs, they should and must be compensated for the aforementioned as no other employee working for an establishment has so many restrictions.
Call a crack head when you need help or get in an accident.
You in the book?
something wrong madog?…you couldn’t do the job they do….it would be too difficult for you…to remain impartial and fair would be out of your range of possibilities entirely!
Police: setting a high standard in many so many ways. Other unions?? …not so much. Thank you police force.
They can afford it, the average Blue collar worker gets $40,000 a year.
Oh well Onion Juice. Perhaps you should have joined the police when you were looking at careers or perhaps you did and didn’t make the grade.
Hey OJ,if your going to be a communist,be a smart one and support the police force. its the only thing that keeps these regime’s in power
Well done BPS. We the public really appreciate you working with the Government. It would be unfair if the Government and Commissioner of Police cut more jobs after this huge sacrifice. It would appear that the BPS is the only Government department who had redundancies. What a shame. Dispite being picked on, you step up to the plate and gave more. Thank you Seargeant Harewood and your team. Keep up the good work. I was informed that the furlough day alone saved the Government TWO MILLION DOLLARS (2,000,000.00) not two hundred thousand ($200,000) as stated in the House by Mr. Dunkley.
Farmer Brown, I never said $200,000 was saved during my comments in the House. Not sure where you got that from but the hansard can be researched to verify.
Thank you to the BPS for all you do for Bermuda!
Mr. Dunkley,
Thank you for the correction. The article in the other media gave that impression. Maybe this can be set straight. I must commend the Goverment as well for listening to the police. The fact that you are responding on Bernews is really great and appreciated. Can you say if there would be more job cuts within the BPS now that the officers have step up to the plate and made this huge sacrifice?
thank you…however…there is an economic answer…to these economic times…we require medical marijuana…tax it and utilise monies for…whatever…license it and require behaviour as requium to hold same.
Who says money doesn’t grow on trees?