Wisconsin State Patrol reaches new contract deal

MADISON — The Wisconsin State Patrol has reached a new contract deal with the state, less than two months after a previous agreement that would have boosted starting salaries by more than 20% was rejected by legislative leaders.

The new deal would update pay structure for members of the patrol, based on their years of service, and provide a general 2% pay raise retroactive for the two-year period that ended in July 2019. That is on par with what other state employees receive during that time.

Under the deal, the total increase amounts to a 9.9% bump for the bargaining unit that represents about 370 state troopers, according to a summary of the agreement by Gov. Tony Evers' Department of Administration.

The contract is slated to be voted on Wednesday by a special legislative committee of Republican and Democratic lead The panel did not vote in December on the previous agreement under complaints from Republicans that 20% pay raises for starting salaries was too much.