ANAHEIM : City Sweetens Offer in Police Union Talks

In what may be the final attempt to resolve a 19-month wage dispute with police officers, the city has offered them a larger pay raise, the police association president said Wednesday.

Bruce Bottolfson, president of the Anaheim Police Assn., said the city has increased its two-year raise package from 6.5% to 6.75%. Additionally, the city will give each officer an immediate bonus of $1,000 instead of the $750 previously offered.

“This is the city’s last and final offer,” Bottolfson said. “Now it’s up to the rank and file to see if they are going to accept it.”

He said a vote of the membership will be held next Wednesday. The union must inform the city by Feb. 28 if it intends to accept the offer.

The city’s total wage package includes raises of 3.25% this year and 3.5% next year. Union officials said it is a three-year contract that dates back to July, 1992, when the last contract expired. The union’s last raise was in July, 1991.

City Manager James D. Ruth could not be reached for comment late Wednesday.

The contract dispute between the city and police officers has resulted in several public protests by the officers, including a 24-hour “blue flu” job action last month. The officers have also demonstrated during City Council meetings and at Disneyland throughout the dispute.

The officers have been seeking a 10% salary increase over two years. City officials have insisted that they cannot afford to meet the union’s demands, especially when they are faced with an $8-million deficit for the next fiscal budget.