Story by Jeff Lipton
Long Beach police, who have worked without a new contract since 2008, were awarded a seven-year deal on Wednesday.
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Arbitrator Arthur Reigel decided on the new contract, which runs from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2015, including five years of back pay. The first three years of the contract will each include a pay increase of 3.75 percent, a 3.5 percent increase for 2011 and 3.15 percent for each of the final three years.
Ken Apple, Long Beach Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association president, said that during the last three years of the contract police will actually see a 2 percent hike, but longevity pay will bump it up to 3.15 percent.
The City Council cannot vote on the arbitrator’s decision, which takes effect immediately, Apple said.
The police union leader said the new contact is long overdue.“It’s a fair contract,” said Apple. “We’re happy that we’re finally caught up for the first time in a long time.”
Apple said the contract has financial assistance built in for the city, such as deferred payments.
He said the city’s police force, which was lowest on the pay scale among the county’s 19 police departments, will now fall somewhere in the middle of the pack. He added that the 69-member department is the third busiest in the county.
“Our productivity numbers have risen even though we have been working without a new contract, which is a tribute to our membership,” said Apple.
Even though Apple would not say how much the salary of an officer will increase on the average, current salaries range from around $40,000 to $90,000.
Apple recalled that in 2010 a mediator offered increases of 3.25 and 3.5 percent for the first two years, but the city rejected them.
“At the time Councilman [John] McLaughlin said, ‘Let’s roll the dice’ in arbitration,” said Apple.
"The arbitrator felt that back then, in 2008, 2009 and 2010, the city had an ability to pay [a 3.75 percent increase]," Apple added.
Last September, the City Council granted the arbitrator permission to award a seven-year deal instead of a contract covering the first two years as required by state law.
Some have questioned how the city could afford the new police contract under the current fiscal climate and since several CSEA workers have been laid off.
Republican Councilman John McLaughlin said he was “more than disappointed” with the arbitrator’s ruling. He wanted to take it to arbitration, expecting a two-year contract and not a seven-year deal.
“We’re in a fiscal crisis and I don’t think we can do it,” McLaughlin said about paying the arbitrator’s award. “The city will probably have to borrow to do it.”
He added that the police union “worked tirelessly” to get the new Democrat administration elected and the favor is being returned. The councilman added that other unions such as the fire department will now expect similar pay hikes.
“I’ve got nothing against the cops, but at some point they’ve got to give a little too,” said McLaughlin, who added that the numbers reach a compounded 27 percent increase.
Kenneth Gray, labor counsel to the city, said the overall numbers, which he placed at around 21 percent, are still lower than the average increase seen in other county police departments over the same period. But he did say that “there will be serious questions as to how to make those payments.”
He said built into the deal were several hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings for the city, particularly when cops retire and are eligible to collect termination pay and severance packages.
Gray said each officer will also be required to attend two unpaid training days per year, which will result in $140,000 in savings for the city each year.
Gray added that the pay deferrals will significantly hold down salaries for police officers.
Apple said the arbitrator’s decision was delayed during the past few months because of Hurricane Sandy. Apple also applauded City Manager Jack Schnirman for keeping his word about being determined to get a deal done with police.
“This city administration has been respectful of our membership,” said Apple. “They have been extremely faiMost Read Stories of Mayr and respected us in our collective bargaining agreement. That’s all you can ask for.”
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