Surf City police union seeks to block paycheck deductions

Tariq Malik

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- City police officers are seeking a restraining

order against the city with the hopes of blocking up to $200 a month

paycheck deductions for medical expenses.

Police union officials said an Orange County Superior Court hearing is

scheduled for Jan. 16 in Santa Ana, where they hope to stop the city

action they believe is illegal.

“One of the things the city is not allowed to do is make changes to

salary or benefits while we’re in the process of negotiations,” said

Russell Reinhart, president of the Huntington Beach Police Officers’

Union.

The Myers-Milias-Brown Act, which governs how public agencies and

employee organizations handle deductions, prohibits that type of action,

he added.

City officials said the deductions are necessary to continue health

care plans for officers since the benefits’ premiums are increasing next

year.

“The Myers-Milias-Brown Act does mandate that we continue to offer the

same salary and benefits to employees,” said Bill Workman, the city’s

assistant city administrator who also serves on the city’s labor

negotiating team. “But we have to offer the health benefits to the entire

organization as a whole, not just per individual.”

When health premiums increase in January, not all officers could be

affected the same, so it will be up to the individuals to pay for the

difference themselves, city officials said, adding the payments will be

automatically deducted from their paychecks.

“Our current offer includes covering the premium increases though we

haven’t managed to reach an agreement with the police officers yet,”

Workman said.

City and police union officials have been at odds over labor

negotiations for the last six months, and called in state mediator David

Hart in October to review the matter. Since then, however, both agencies

have met on their own to try and reach an agreement, a lengthy ordeal

that leaves city police officers without a contract when their previous

one expired on Sept. 30.

Union officials said they’re seeking a 13.3% wage increase, while the

city is offering an immediate pay raise of 10.5%, with a 3% increase and

5% raise each successive year.

Reinhart said he believes the city is unwilling to return to the

bargaining table after labor talks stalled Dec. 11, and is attempting to

pressure the police union to accept their offer. Meanwhile, city

officials are waiting to hear from the state mediator to schedule a

meeting next month.

“We’re hopeful that in the coming days we’ll be able to reach some

sort of agreement,” Workman said.