by Bernie King

Created on: April 04, 2009   Last Updated: April 05, 2009

My opinion is that when you work in the public sector such as public safety and there is a union, recognition for the work you do is more appreciated. The wages are usually set by the negotiated collective bargaining agreements ,or better known as union contracts. Therefore, the individual employees do not get merit raises for the extra work they do. They get what the collective bargaining agreement has set, other than if there is a special section in the agreement that specifically outlines merit pay. Most agreements do not contain anything pertaining to merit pay because in the public safety profession most of the employees usually perform the same duty. There may be exceptions for specialties, such as firearms officer in a police department, for example. That particular specialty job may be included in the union contract with specialty pay, not merit pay. This occurs mostly because the employee has gone to a specialized school and has nothing to do with merit.

A person working in the public safety profession likes to receive recognition for a job well done. My opinion is that an employee that is recognized will work harder at pleasing, not only the citizens, but also their boss. As a police officer, which I've been for (37) thirty seven years, I would rather get recognition and praise for a job done well or recognized for having strong and good work ethics. I work under a union contract, so I know the money we receive is already set and we do not get any specialty pay, so the money aspect has been taken out of the equation.
Would I like to get more money? The answer is definitely, yes, but it wouldn't change my need for recognition. Money isn't everything and if you are in a profession that is guided by a union contract, then the only thing you can work for is recognition. When it comes time to sit down at the negotiating table, there aren't any statistics given about one employee's merit or every employee's merit that guides and then decides the wages or other benefits included in a negotiated agreement. That agreement goes for everyone. If we manage to get a good raise, it has been my experience as being the local union president; money in itself doesn't inspire people more to get the job done because we all do the same job. All the employees I work with want the recognition, because they know they won't receive any more money than what is set in the union contract.

Learn more about this author, Bernie King.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.