Oakwood council approves three-year contracts with public safety unions

Oakwood — The Oakwood City Council on Sept. 15 adopted a resolution authorizing the city manager to execute three-year collective bargaining agreements with the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) units representing public safety officers and lieutenants and the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association (OPBA) representing public safety dispatchers. Council voted unanimously in roll call to approve the measure.

Council action came after Vice Mayor Byington, who serves on the council's finance committee, summarized the agreements and recommended adoption. “Labor negotiations are often lengthy and sometimes costly, but the parties have agreed upon substantially similar terms for new three-year agreements covering all three bargaining units,” Byington said. The agreements replace contracts that expire later in 2025.

The new contracts cover the three bargaining units within the public safety department. Byington and Mayor William D. Duncan said the council reviewed the agreements and commended Chief Alan Hill and the public safety employees for completing negotiations without formal dispute processes. The council's roll-call votes were recorded as: Mayor William D. Duncan — yes; Vice Mayor Byington — yes; Rob Stevens — yes; Mrs. Turban — yes; Mrs. Jackson — yes.

The resolution authorizes the city manager to sign the agreements. The council did not specify in the meeting transcript the dollar cost or budgetary impact of the contracts; those figures were not provided.

The agreements will take effect according to the units' contract timelines and will be executed by the city manager as authorized by the resolution.