Labor Day is arriving in Key Biscayne with deep disagreement between the Village and the union representing its police officers, with demands for improved pension contribution the main sticking point. 

“We are too far apart on the big ticket items,” said Andrew Axlerad, the chief negotiator for the South Florida Police Benevolent Association. At a meeting with the Village Wednesday, he said the union may declare impasse after the Village Council didn’t agree to pension and wage improvements. 

The Village is proposing a $10.2 million line item for police personnel in the 2027 budget, which comes for a first vote this week.

“You met with the Council. I have no doubt that you’re presenting exactly what their orders were,” he told Manager Steve Williamson, Police Chief Frank Sousa, and Chief Financial Officer Benjamin Nussbaum. 

Union and Village negotiators bargain over a new contract, Sept. 2, 2026 (KBI Photo/Tony Winton)

The Village didn’t come empty handed to the session. It offered — for the first time — to sweeten the pension for retirees with a cost-of-living increase. 

“The fact that we’re even considering this is a big departure,” Nussbaum told a roomful of police and firefighters. But Nussbaum didn’t offer a number, and cautioned that the increase might not be large. 

The pension – a defined benefit plan — has been a source of friction between unionized staff and the Village in the past. Public safety unions want the Village to put more into the plan, which currently is performing well because of high stock market returns. But the concern is what happens when there is a market downturn.

Also in dispute is the way the Village uses state dollars, which unions say should not be used to offset Village contributions. 

Nussbaum pushed back, arguing the existing 20% cap on Village contributions isn’t an area where management is likely to budge.

“We have architects of this pension plan sitting on our Council, and they’re very comfortable with that language,” Nussbaum said. His argument: even though officers shoulder more financial risk with the use of state funds , and the current cap, the approach “protects the long-term financial feasibility of keeping this plan.” 

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Key Biscayne Police Chief Frank Sousa and Village Manager Steve Williamson take part in labor bargaining with the Police Benevolent Association, Sept. 2, 2026 (KBI Photo/Tony Winton)

To the union, those may have been fighting words. 

“It’s phenomenally low,” Axelrad said, telling Williamson pensions were the union’s top issue, along with improvements in the system of steps that regulate how officer pay increases over time – an area where the PBA says the Village has fallen behind other municipalities. 

Officers are expected to hold a meeting this week to vote on next steps. 

Municipal employees cannot strike in Florida, but can invoke a formal impasse process. The procedure involves both mediation and a hearing before a special magistrate who ultimately makes factual findings and a recommendation to the Village Council. 

“It’s time for a reset,” Axelrad said. 

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Editor-in-Chief

Tony Winton is the editor-in-chief of the Key Biscayne Independent and president of Miami Fourth Estate, Inc. He worked previously at The Associated Press for three decades winning multiple Edward R. Murrow awards. He was president of the News Media Guild, a journalism union, for 10 years. Born in Chicago, he is a graduate of Columbia University. His interests are photography and technology, sailing, cooking, and science fiction.