WESTMINSTER : City Declares Impasse in Police Union Talks

The City Council has decided to stop contract negotiations with the police officers union and is now poised to impose a one-year contract that would take effect this month.

But union officials said Wednesday that they may decide not to accept the contract or may challenge it in court. Officials said they do not intend to call for a “sickout” or other labor actions.

“We’ll wait and see,” said Terry Selinske, a member of the union’s negotiating team. “All possibilities are open. We’ll have to evaluate what we have to do next.”

The 154-member Westminster Police Officers Assn., which has been working without a contract since December, had rejected three city proposals since contract negotiations began in October.

Last month, city negotiators presented a final one-year offer that included a salary increase ranging from 3.5% to 6%, but police union officials said the package was not good enough and requested to continue the talks.

“We did the best we can under the circumstances,” Mayor Charles V. Smith said after the council voted 4 to 1 to declare an impasse in the negotiations. “But it was obvious that we could not reach an agreement.”

Councilman Craig Schweisinger opposed the impasse. He said it was wrong to give the police union a raise and that the city should go back to the negotiating table.

The council will consider imposing the one-year contract on Tuesday. If approved, it will be retroactive to July 1.

The contract provides for a salary increase that will take effect in January, according to Acting City Manager Robert J. Huntley. The raise could be as high as 6% because city officials have agreed to make the salaries of city police officers between the fifth and sixth highest in Orange County, he said.

City police officers currently earn between $3,000 to $4,000 a month, said Selinske, a police detective. He said that according to their latest survey, a 6% raise would put the city behind Fullerton and ahead of Costa Mesa salaries.

In addition to the pay increase, police officers would receive higher pay for working at night, one additional paid holiday, one extra day of accrued vacation after 25 years of service, and special assignment pay available to all department employees.

But union officials said they would lose more than they would gain under the contract that city officials are considering imposing.

City contributions for medical coverage, for example, will be slashed from $581 monthly to $465. The police union had proposed that the city contribute $510 monthly.

Overtime pay would be curtailed. Also, employees would be allowed to convert into cash unused sick leave of only up to 240 hours.

In the past, city employees could cash out whatever unused sick leave that they have accumulated over the years.

City officials said that its medical and overtime expenses and the unlimited sick leave cash-out policy are driving the city to bankruptcy.

“It was just going out of sight,” Smith said.