NEW YORK, NY June 01, 2007 —The Bloomberg administration has dropped one part of its litigation surrounding the pending police contract but it could still be months before both sides get in the same room. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has more.

The Policemen's Benevolent Association says Mayor Bloomberg's pick for arbitrators are biased against the union and Mayor Bloomberg says the PBA is not sincere about settling the contract. Weeks turn to months and months to years with the rank and file cops caught in the middle with no current contract since 2OO4.

Meanwhile Police Commissioner Ray Kelly says the department's $25,000 starting salary is too low to attract recruits in the numbers required and veteran officers leave the force for higher paying posts in suburbia. Also, fewer and fewer officers opt to take the promotion tests to advance in the ranks. But pay is only part of what's at stake. The PBA also wants a 4 day work week with longer hours,

For WNYC, I’m Bob Hennelly.