Chicago's police sergeants handed a big "no" to Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
The Chicago Police Sergeants’ Association voted 876 to 134 Monday against a four-year contract touted by Emanuel that phases in a 9 percent pay increase, maintains eligibility for retiree health care at age 55 and requires retirees to pay 2 percent of their retirement annuity toward their benefit.
The proposed contract agreement was reached last month after more than a year of haggling between the city and Police Sergeants’ Association but had to be ratified by union members.
The agreement was presented by Mayor Emanuel and James Ade, president of the Sergeant's Association.
“I am disappointed members of the Sergeants union voted down this landmark agreement," Emanuel said. "While negotiating this agreement, President Ade and I tried to be honest with taxpayers and employees by finding common ground and a fair compromise that put our City first.
City officials had hoped the agreement can serve as a framework to fix the city's pension crisis.
"Neither public employees nor taxpayers should be asked to pay into a system that is unsustainable," Emanuel said. "This agreement was a break from the dishonesty of the past and provided a roadmap for a fair and honest pension system."
The mayor said he intends to move forward with reforming the city's pension system.
