By Jennifer Gomori, POJ Editor
Sebewaing Police Officer Drew Gokey was on the job for a short period of time before he realized the officers’ representation was lacking. So, he encouraged them to join the Union he had success with at his previous department.
The former Essexville Department of Public Safety Officer joined Sebewaing Police Department with 13 years of prior law enforcement experience, including representation by the Police Officers Labor Council (POLC). Gokey worked directly with the POLC, serving as Essexville Police Officers Local Union President.
After meeting with POLC Labor Representative Christopher Watts, Sebewaing Police voted to join the POLC in February 2024. They parted ways with United Steelworkers after their contract expired Dec. 31, 2023.
“We joined at the same time as the (Sebewaing) DPW. We were doing negotiations and the contract ran out, so I knew that was the opportunity to switch us,” said Gokey, Sebewaing Police Officers and Supervisory Local Union President.
Sebewaing DPW Employees, who were also represented by United Steelworkers, joined POLC’s sister company, Governmental Employees Labor Council (GELC), after hearing what Gokey had to say and meeting with Watts, who is also the Unions’ Membership Services Representative.
Both groups had been represented by their former union for quite some time and wanted a union with expertise serving public safety and public employees.
“I was very unhappy with the Steelworkers and how they handled things. Their knowledge of the public sector was somewhat atrocious and I was very concerned they wouldn’t be able to represent us well,” Gokey said.
“I know who can serve both us and the DPW well, so I told them who would help us the most,” he said. “Going back to the POLC was a no-brainer for me. I was the (Local) President in Essexville and Chris and I did contracts together. As soon as Chris came in, he helped the DPW with a lot of stuff too, because the Steelworkers just didn’t understand the public sector.”
Both Gokey and Sebewaing Police Chief Steve Repkie also know POLC/GELC Executive Committee member Bob Gaiser, a Caro City Police Officer. “My Chief just left Caro (City Police) right before I got hired, so he and I both know Bob quite well. The Chief worked with Bob a couple of years,” Gokey said.
The POLC settled the Sebewaing Police and Supervisory contract in August with significant raises. In the first year, Officers and Sergeants received a market adjustment, equivalent to an 8 to 9 percent increase, depending on where they were on the pay scale. The POLC obtained an even larger increase for the Sergeant’s position through added differential pay.
“We actually didn’t do a percentage the first year. We received a $2 an hour raise to get us up close to where we should’ve been, which is an 8 or 9 percent increase,” Gokey said. “We negotiated a pay increase for the Sergeants’ position. Now it’s established and they get 5 percent over the (highest paid) Patrol Officer.”
Over the life of the three-year agreement, Officers will receive a 14 to 15 percent pay raise and Sergeants receive a 20 percent increase.
The POLC also helped the three-member group double the Employer’s matching contribution to their retirement. Now the Employer will contribute up to 5 percent into Employees’ 475 plans in addition to the up to 5 percent the Employer will continue to contribute in matching 401k funding. The group also secured two extra paid Holidays.
Sebewaing Police have noticed a striking difference between their current and former Union, and are very pleased they chose to become POLC members.
“I think I was only there a little over a year before I had the opportunity to finally switch us to POLC,” Gokey said. “All (the United Steelworkers) did for negotiations was just change the wages. They didn’t even open anything in the contract up.”
“Everybody is pretty happy with the switch and the improvements and Chris’s knowledge of what we can actually look at and what we can and should be able to do,” he said.
