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Police union and the town come to terms on contract
By Nathan R. Huff
The town council approved a contract with the town's Police Officers' Association on Dec. 4, that will give officers a 17 to 23 percent raise over the five-year life of the contract.
The final wording of the contract will be reviewed by the union, but is expected to take effect beginning Jan. 1. Aside from the pay raise, the contract will also make vision coverage and work-related tuition reimbursement available to all POA members.
The contract came after only three formal meetings between town and police officer representatives. According to Human Resources Manager Gary Rogers, the added benefits and long-term contract are indicative of the town's desire to maintain its high quality work force and cut down on training time and costs. The existing contract covered only a two-year period.
Rogers said the negotiations proceeded smoothly. "We actually had a pretty speedy negotiation process," Rogers said. "I think we only had three meetings."
POA president Detective Randy Bishop said Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department officers were pleased with the contract and ratified it by a 19 to six vote.
Bishop said the issues of tuition and vision were brought up by the union. "I brought [tuition reimbursement] up because we had that when I was a cop in LA," he said. He added that without reimbursement, few cops were willing to take the extra classes needed to qualify for promotions, and the department isn't able to promote from within.
Under the contract, POA members will receive 2.5 percent raises in June 2001 and 2002, and then 4-6 percent raises in 2003, 2004 and 2005. The 4-6 percent figure will be determined by surveying the salaries of neighboring police agencies.
According to Rogers, the town does regular salary surveys at nine local police departments. As set forth in the agreement, pay increases for the last three years of the contract will be determined by taking the midpoint in salaries between the third-and fourth-ranked police agencies in the county.
Police sergeants, who are not covered by the POA, will receive the same five-year pay hike, as well as vision and tuition reimbursement benefits.
The police department is the town's largest department. Forty-two percent of general fund expenditures for 2001-2002, go to the department, which has a two-year budget of just over $17 million. Just over $13.3 million of that is spent on salary and benefits for the 66-employee department that includes nine sergeants and 32 officers. The department also relies on the work of approximately 150 community volunteers.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
