The current Labor Agreement between the City and the Police Benevolent Association (PBA) expired on September 30, 2016.  The parties began  negotiations for a successor 3-year labor agreement on August 25, 2016.  Negotiations concluded on November 28, 2016.  The 3-year labor agreement governing Sworn Police Officers and Police Sergeants contains thirty-five (35) articles, all of which were tentatively agreed upon and subject to final approval by the PBA members and City Council.

The City and the PBA negotiated several articles in the labor agreement; however, modifications were only to three (3) articles.  Those articles were Article 13, Workweek And Overtime, Article 21, Grievance Procedures, and Article 24, Wages.  Of the three articles, Article 24, Wages, was the most important article negotiated by PBA and the City.  Agreement on this article required a significant financial commitment by the City and willingness by the PBA to a three-year ramp-up period addressing the city’s competitive hiring position and officers’ and sergeants' salaries. 

Article 24, drove the cost increase for the 3-year labor agreement.  The total cost of the 3-year labor agreement is estimated to be $2,780,000, which includes $130,000 for senior police officer equity adjustment and $250,000 to advance officers and sergeants to their next step on April 1 of each labor agreement year.  At the end of the 3-year labor agreement, police officers’ starting pay will be within 96.9% of the City’s cohort cities’[1] average starting pay and the sergeants’ starting pay will be within 87% of the City’s cohort’s average starting pay.  The starting pay for police officer will be, at the end of the 3-year labor agreement, $51,490 and the sergeants’ starting pay will be $70,103 at the end of the 3-year labor agreement.

The top out pay of $63,295 for police officers, at the end of the 3-year labor agreement, will be 75 % of the City’s cohort cities’ average, but note the equity adjustment for senior officers will bring them to 81.2% of the cohort cities’ average and the top out of $86,174 for sergeants will be 82 % of cohort cities’ average at the end of the 3-year labor agreement. Police officer on average will receive a 16.6% ($9,030) increase in pay at the top out step and sergeant will receive a 19.8% ($14,300) increase in pay at the top out step.  None of the sergeants are at the top out step.

Article 21, Grievance, adjusts the period to process a grievance from 5 days to 7 days, generally. 

Article 13, Workweek And Overtime, was amended to permit bargaining unit members to receive compensatory credit for each hour of overtime in thirty (30) minute increments, for those that are less than one hour.  The cost of this adjustment is within the overtime budget of the department.