3 Unions Agree to Return $8.4 Million

Three of four city labor unions tentatively agreed this week to give back $8.4 million in pension payments to help the City Council balance its $788-million two-year budget.

The balanced general fund budget approved unanimously by the council trims $37.5 million next year, saves jobs, maintains programs at neighborhood recreation centers and restores the library book budget.

The Oakland Police Officer’s Assn. was the only union that didn’t agree to consider paying 3% of their pension contributions.

However, the police department will give back nearly $3 million a year, mainly through cuts in overtime worth $2.3 million the first year and $2.7 million the second year.