A committee of legislators rejected a contract from the state trooper’s union in a party-line vote Thursday.
During a public hearing, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said the contract’s 17 percent pay increase was too high.
“I can tell you right now, there is no way I could bring this back my caucus, and, I think, get the support for the contract that’s before us today,” he said.
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Fitzgerald asked for a plan with a smaller, and perhaps more frequent, increase.
However,Glen Jones, Vice President of the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Association, said the contract would help with retention and recruitment issues. He said he worries rejection of the contract would make some troopers leave.
“We can go back to the table. We can come up with something that’s more palatable to you. But if it’s not more palatable to them, they won’t be here anymore. They’re going to have to find somewhere else to go to feed their families, ” Jones to the committee.
The contract committee’s decision to vote down the contract sends the it back to negotiations.
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