Milwaukee Hiring New Negotiator To Interface With Police, Fire Unions
Benjamin Roovers would replace the late Veronica Rudychev.
Ben Roovers addresses the Finance & Personnel Committee in 2020. Image from City of Milwaukee City Channel.
The City of Milwaukee of Milwaukee could soon have a new lead negotiator, a pivotal role given the city’s expired labor agreements with its two biggest public safety unions.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson nominated Ben Roovers on Nov. 8 to serve as labor negotiator. The appointment is subject to Common Council confirmation and is expected to be reviewed by the Finance & Personnel Committee.
Roovers, 41, would replace Veronica Rudychev, who passed away in late October after battling an illness. Rudychev, 37, was appointed to the role in May. She had appeared in front of a council committee in early October and successfully led the finalization of a new labor agreement with the Milwaukee Police Supervisor’s Organization.
“Veronica’s passing was a very sad loss for Milwaukee. She had so much to offer and so willingly stepped up to serve city government. Her family, friends, and colleagues have my sincere condolences,” said Johnson in a statement.
The new labor negotiator, a former assistant city attorney, will need to help negotiate new agreements with the Milwaukee Police Association and Milwaukee Professional Firefighters Association, which represent the city’s rank-and-file public safety personnel. Both unions, which were exempted from Act 10, saw their contracts expire in 2020.
Roovers is familiar with city government, having served as an assistant city attorney from 2015 to 2021. The nominee was one of several attorneys who left the office during Tearman Spencer‘s tenure.
After leaving city government, Roovers worked for Milwaukee Public Schools as an employment relations specialist and, more recently, at the Madison Metropolitan School District where he works as associate general counsel.
Roovers, according to a resume, holds an undergraduate degree from UW-Madison in history and political science and a juris doctorate from the Marquette University Law School.
Nicole Fleck previously served as the labor negotiator, but now serves as the deputy director of the Fire & Police Commission.
Roovers previously worked with Fleck on employment issues, including hazard pay during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
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