By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – The Buffalo Police union was scheduled to appear in State Supreme Court Tuesday. The PBA is asking for the right to strike.
Buffalo Police Benevolent Association President Bob Meegan wants to find out if police officers have the right to go out on strike. Meegan says the union's contract has not been honored by the city. The ongoing wage freeze imposed by the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority has put a hold on pay raises for cops -- raises there were guaranteed under a contract deal hammered out by the former Masiello Administration.
Meegan says under the current police contract, officers already made major concessions. But he says now the control board is calling on police to give up $8 million in pay raises and other benefits.
The Taylor Law prevents the union from staging a strike. Meegan indicated that a strike is not something they prefer to conduct. But he says he wants to know what legal rights the union has as the wage freeze continues to interfere with their signed contract.
The control board is beginning its review of Mayor Brown's proposal to lift the wage freeze for police. But Meegan says documents he received last week did not appear favorable for cops.