Pittsburgh Regional Transit police get pay hikes to bring them in line with other local departments

Pittsburgh Regional Transit police officers have negotiated substantial raises over the next three years as the agency tries to make their wages comparable with other local departments so officers stop leaving.

The deal outlined Thursday for the board’s finance committee would give first-year rank-and-file officers immediate raises of more than $9,000 to $68,004. The position of master detective, the highest union rank, would get an immediate raise of more than $15,000 to $98,062.

For the second and third years of the contract, the agency will survey increases in five other local departments, including the city of Pittsburgh. If the average raise for officers at those agencies is 3% or less, PRT officers get 3%, but if the average of those raises is higher, PRT officers get 5%.

Mike Cetra, PRT’s chief legal officer, said the agency has been losing many young officers — 25 in the past five years — once they receive their training because they can make more money elsewhere. The new contract is an attempt to keep those officers.

The committee recommended the full board approve the new contract when it meets next Friday.

In February, the agency approved a one-year deal with officers who received raises of 18% with plans to negotiate a longer deal to address the problem of officers leaving.

The agency has 38 rank-and-file officers, nine supervisors, a deputy chief and a chief. The agency expects the new contract to cost just over $3.5 million over three years.