The State - News from July 7, 1988

Oceanside police officers failed to report to work for the second time in less than a month, straining department operations and escalating tensions in a protracted salary dispute with the San Diego County city. The city’s safety net, however, remained intact, as top police officials ordered officers on the night and graveyard shifts to work overtime to cover the gap left by the “blue flu” which hit the day shift. More than 30 officers--including patrol officers, detectives and dispatchers--called in sick, mirroring a similar incident conducted by members of the Police Officers Assn. last month. On June 10, about 25 of 180 POA members did not come to work. The POA said it is asking for a 7.5% salary increase, while the city has offered 3.5%. City officials declined to confirm those figures.