Nashville police officers yesterday selected the International Brotherhood of Teamsters as their union with 61 percent of the vote, reports The Tennessean. The decision ends almost 28 years of representation by the Fraternal Order of Police, which is based in Nashville. The two groups have been fighting to represent police officers since the summer of 2004. Both organizations said the most important task would be getting all officers on the same side now that the fight is over.
Said Brock Parks, executive director of the FOP’s Nashville chapter: “The Teamsters have had two years to stand outside, and now it’s up to them to make good on their promises.” The recently elected local FOP president, Tim Weaver, said his group would remain active in local police issues. “We’re the FOP and we’re not going anywhere,” Weaver said. “The Teamsters just came in, and they could go out just as fast.”
Link: http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060209/NEWS01/602090403