Walnut Creek: Police officers get raises, pay more for health insurance

Jan. 23--WALNUT CREEK -- While past contract negotiations have meant meager pay raises and even salary freezes, this time around police officers will see a 3 percent raise per year over the next three years.

But officers will also face rising health care costs, according to a new contract reached with the city.

The Walnut Creek Police Officers Association, which represents the rank-and-file police officers outside of management, was operating under a three-year contract set to expire at the end of July. But members of the association asked to begin negotiations early in November, a few months earlier than usual, said City Manager Ken Nordhoff.

"It happened very quickly and the discussions were focused on a very limited number of contract issues, which influenced the pace of the discussion and ultimate decision," Nordhoff said. "I am grateful the leadership came forward and expressed interest (in early negotiations) and that we could reach this new three-year agreement."

Members of the Police Officers Association did not return requests for comment for this story.

Like many city employee groups, the officers association has offered its own givebacks throughout the recession, agreeing to a two-year salary freeze in 2009. And it was the 2012 contract in which the officers agreed to pay toward their pensions and health care. The new contract gives a 1.5 percent raise every six months, a change from the 1.5-percent-a-year raise officers have seen for the last three years.

The contract, which affects 59 sworn officers, ends <chron>July 31, 2018.

The cost to the city of implementing the raises and benefit changes is estimated to be $1.16 million over three years.

Besides the pay raise, officers will also increase their contributions, over three years, from seven to 14 percent of their health care premiums. This focus on getting employees to pay more of their health care is something the city has done with other employee contracts to help reign in skyrocketing health care costs.

In the police contract, city officials also agreed to pay a total of $11,000 to members of the association, as determined by the POA, in a "one-time Off-Salary-Schedule payment," according to the contract. Nordhoff, who did not sit in on the negotiations, said that money will be used by the association as it sees fit. A source with knowledge of the negotiations but not authorized to speak on them said the $11,000 was to offset the effect of California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2012, which requires new employees to contribute more to their retirement than other officers hired after a certain date.

The City Council decided Tuesday to approve the contract by a 4-1 vote. Councilman Justin Wedel voted no, as he has consistently done with employee contracts; he said that while he would love to give everyone raises, the city needs to first have a plan for reducing multi-million-dollar deficits.

"Walnut Creek refuses to take a look at the problem," he said. "We still continue to have deficits in our long-term financial plan and our council majority refuses to take a look at it. So I don't understand how we can continue to give raises to anyone."

Councilwoman Loella Haskew praised the outcome of the talks.

"I would like to express my gratitude for the very constructive way this whole thing was processed," she said. "I am very proud of our police department and yet again they have proven I have very good reason to be proud."

Contact Elisabeth Nardi at 925-952-2617. Follow her on Twitter.com/enardi10

___

(c)2015 the Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.)

Visit the Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.) at www.contracostatimes.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC