A new contract has been finalized between Middletown Township and the Police Benevolent Association of Middletown Township.
The Middletown Township Board of Supervisors voted to approve the new contract earlier this month.
Advertisements
The new labor agreement is set to take effect in the new year and extend for four years. The agreement comes as the current contract is due to expire this Sunday.
Township Manager Stephanie Teoli Kuhls announced that the new contract includes a 4 percent annual wage increase for officers, a slight rise in shift differential payments, and an enhancement in deferred compensation. Additionally, the agreement introduces six weeks of maternity leave for mothers and recognizes Juneteenth as a holiday.
“I for one would like to thank the police union for working shoulder-to-shoulder to get this done,” Township Manager Teoli Kuhls said.
Advertisements
The manager pointed to the collaborative nature of the negotiations.
Credit: Middletown Township
The new contract, she told the supervisors, aligns with the township’s approved budget for 2024.
Advertisements
Supervisors Chairperson Anna Payne highlighted that the agreement was the result of thorough discussions between the township and the police union.
The 2024 township budget indicates that the police department comprises the largest segment of the township’s employees and is 65 percent of the township’s salaries and wages.
A recent job listing shows that starting salaries for Middletown Township officers post-police academy begin at $82,898, increasing to $113,373 after three years.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
Advertisements
The budget accounts for 77 police department employees, with 55 positions eligible for union membership.
The union includes all uniformed officers below the rank of lieutenant.
Advertisements
The township’s agreements with Teamsters Local 107 and the Independent Association of Middletown Township Department of Public Works Employees are set to expire at the end of 2024. The contract for crossing guards will conclude at the end of 2025.
Advertisements
Report a correction via email | Editorial standards and policies
