As the Labor Council grows so will its financial resources that are necessary to provide full service to each of its member lodges. The price for Labor Council membership is small and it is minimal compared to the return in service the member lodges receive. For those lodges that do not bargain it is $5.00 per member per month. For those that do it is $10.00 per member per month. In the not to distant future law enforcement officers in Colorado will have the right to collectively bargain. Through their Trustees the Colorado FOP members have made that their number one goal, and it will be realized. The same is true at the National level. 

Do you as FOP leaders understand the implications and challenges you face with passage of this legislation? Have you or your local board discussed how you will handle those challenges and the demands that will be placed on you? Is your lodge and its leadership prepared to face those demands and challenges? Do you have the mechanisms and tools in place needed to effectively deal in that environment?  Is your lodge financially ready to prepare, negotiate and maintain a labor contract? A basic labor contract negotiated for a small to medium sized lodge will cost in excess of $25,000. Larger lodges can expect to expend $45,000 or more. 

Does your lodge have those resources to draw from? How much will you have to raise your local dues or assess your members to meet that challenge? How many members will you pay for to get trained to meet the responsibilities that come with collective bargaining? Will your members accept the excuse that your lodge can’t afford to implement collective bargaining? Or will they look towards another organization or different leadership that will? Will they accept the fact that you simply aren’t prepared? Will they accept an answer that your Lodge can’t provide the services they are entitled to?

Those are the hard questions each lodge will face when that time comes. If your lodge is not prepared and if you don’t belong to the Labor Council you are on your own in these areas. The council by-laws, adopted by the State Board of Trustees, dictate that labor services are only provided to council member lodges. The State FOP cannot any longer pick-up the tab or provide the assistant funding on labor matters including labor based lawsuits and initiative elections often asked for at board meetings. In order to receive those benefits you must be a council member lodge.