Police union votes down new contract

Tariq Malik

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- It wasn’t even close.

The chasm separating Surf City police officers and City Hall still

stands after a tentative agreement on salary and benefits crumbled into

rejection last week.

The Huntington Beach Police Officers’ Assn. soundly rejected a wage

and benefit package during a Feb. 15 session in the City Council chambers

that, if accepted, would have ended more than six months of intense

negotiation and mediation efforts.

“This is not a typical process,” said Mark Reid, president of the

Peace Officers Counsel of California and chief negotiator for the police

union. “There is a lot of anger, probably on both sides, that has built

up over the last eight years.”

On Feb. 8, negotiators for the city and police officers union found a

middle ground for the first time in months, and submitted a tentative

salary agreement to the union’s 215 members for ratification.

The proposed salary and benefit deal spanned three years and included

wage increases of 11% the first year, and a total of 5% each additional

year. Officer salaries range between $30,804 and $58,272, depending on

classification. Also included in the defeated labor agreement were

modifications to officer medical insurance plans, a 50% increase in the

existing retirement plan for officers and increased survivor’s benefits.

“Although the city [officials] made some good offers, they also want

to take away a substantial amount in terms of benefits and medical

coverage for active employees, their families and retirees,” Reid said,

adding that the agreement also included new rules and regulations that

would negatively affect working conditions.

The tentative agreement included drug testing standards and other new

regulations that would apply to officers.

City officials said they were surprised by the union vote, especially

since the compensation package was drawn up by state mediator David Hart,

who has assisted in labor discussions, and approved by the city and union

board of directors. They had hoped the process would have met its

conclusion last week.

“We’re in contact with [Hart] now to find out if it is possible for

the process to continue,” said Assistant City Administrator Bill Workman,

who has served on the city’s negotiating team.

About 190 of the 215-member police officer union, which includes

police and detention officers, as well as communication dispatchers,

filled the city’s council chamber and voted down the tentative contract.

Union officials declined to give an exact tally of the vote, but assured

it was heavily skewed toward rejecting the agreement.

In a printed statement, union President Russell Rienhart said the

chief reason union board members accepted the tentative deal was because

of time constraints, after which the city planned to revoke the proposal.

City officials said the time constraint only applied to when the

contract would go into effect. If it had been approved by the union,

salaries and benefits for January would have been available, they added.

Among some of the merits of the agreement, he went on, were pay raises

for dispatchers and detention officers of 18% and 13% annually.

Some council members also hoped for closure in the long-running salary

dispute.

“As a councilman and resident, I have enormous respect for our police

officers, and had hoped that the package was fair and could be accepted,”

said Councilwoman Shirley Dettloff. “I’m just sorry we couldn’t come to a

conclusion.”

Meanwhile, union officials said there are a number of directions the

negotiations can take.

“At this particular time we’re looking at a number of avenues,

including the state’s new bind and arbitration process and an

employee/employer resolution in this city,” Reid said. “But there’s still

quite a lot to happen before the process concludes.”