WESTMINSTER : New 3-Year Contract for City Employees Will Include Salary Hike

The City Council unanimously this week approved a three-year contract with the municipal employees union that provides for a salary increase that will take effect in January.

But the raise will depend on how much police officers will receive under their own contract imposed by the City Council in July, according to Janie Miller, the city’s personnel director who was a member of the city’s negotiating team.

The police union contract guarantees that salaries of Westminster police officers will become the sixth highest in Orange County, from about 14th currently.

This would require at least a 3.5% salary increase, which is also the minimum that the municipal employees can expect, Miller said.

She said the contract, which took effect Tuesday, provides no salary increase this year. City and union representatives will reopen negotiations in 1996 to determine further pay increases, she added.

In addition to the pay raise, employees will get one additional paid holiday--Presidents Day--and the opportunity to convert accumulated sick leave to cash up to a maximum of 240hours.

John Dorado, president of the 83-member municipal employees union, said that the pact was approved by union members Sept. 8. He said the union is satisfied with the contract, hammered out after more than 10 months of negotiations.

“We met halfway,” Dorado said. “It’s good for the city and for the employees.”