PBA Officers Take To The Streets In Push For Fair Pay
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Members of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association are spread out across the five boroughs today, handing out leaflets with hopes of gaining public support on their efforts to boost fair pay and disability benefits for officers.
PBA President Pat Lynch was in Times Square Thursday to help distribute the materials during the morning commute, 1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck reported.
"We want to go in, negotiate, and fix a problem," Lynch said. "We've been out of a contract for four years, it's time the mayor sits down and realistically looks at it. Have his labor commissioner sit down and negotiate to solve the problems in the NYPD."
In 2015, the PBA protested in front of Gracie Mansion after an arbitrator's decision for a 1 percent raise for most of the NYPD's rank-and-file police officers. At the time, Lynch called the decision 'insulting.'
Thursday's effort comes days after the organization released a radio ad criticizing Bill de Blasio while shedding light on their cause.
The de Blasio administration has said the mayor's office is open to negotiate with the PBA.
"Our door has always been – and continues to be – open to the PBA to negotiate a long-term contract, as we've done with nearly the entire City workforce to date," Mayoral spokesperson Amy Spitalnik said in a statement.
Lynch also had some words on Richard Emery, who resigned Wednesday as chairman of the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board. The executive director of the watchdog agency filed a lawsuit against Emery on Tuesday alleging he used a gender-based slur against her and was undermining her authority.
"It's time that he left," Lynch said. "Now we have to turn to who the mayor is going to select for that spot. It needs to be someone that's fair and does not have a prejudice against New York City police officers."
Emery was also recently in the spotlight after making a controversial remark comparing NYPD unions to pigs.
