Tracy Police Avoids Layoffs
From the Tracy Press:
Officers give up scheduled raise to save jobs
by TP staff
Jan 18, 2010
The Tracy police officers’ union voted to forego a raise this summer to save several jobs and to change their retirement plan for new employees to save the city money.
The change to the police officers contract comes after a couple of months of talks between union heads and city administrators, who had announced their intention to lay off six officers, two sergeants, and one captain.Those cuts are no longer necessary though.
Officers were scheduled to get a 5-percent pay hike in July on top of the 5-percent raise they received last summer, a wage increase that appeared to cause ripples of discontent as other city workers were laid off and forced to take unpaid days off.
A majority of the 85-member union also voted to cut retirement benefits for new officers that are hired. Instead of being able to retire with up to 90-percent of their salary at age 50, new officers will be able to retire with up to 90 percent of their salary at age 55, the same retirement package that Tracy firefighters have.
The union also agreed to extend their contract through fiscal year 2011-12 with no extra benefits.
City managers are trying to save money in the face of a projected $9 million budget deficit. Tracy pays 100 percent of the retirement costs for all its workers, which costs the city about $9 million a year. It also pays $1,200 per month per employee for health insurance, an annual $6.2 million cost, and gives each full-time employee a minimum of 37 paid days off a year, including sick leave.
The changes to the police officers’ contract “balances the recognized public safety concerns while being sensitive to the City’s fiscal situation and the community’s economic hardships,” said Sgt. Alex Neicu in a press release on behalf of the union.City administrators seemed pleased as well.“I think it’s a win-win for everyone,” said Finance Director Zane Johnston. “The raise was huge, because that’s a lot of money.”
Officers give up scheduled raise to save jobs
by TP staff
Jan 18, 2010
The Tracy police officers’ union voted to forego a raise this summer to save several jobs and to change their retirement plan for new employees to save the city money.
The change to the police officers contract comes after a couple of months of talks between union heads and city administrators, who had announced their intention to lay off six officers, two sergeants, and one captain.Those cuts are no longer necessary though.
Officers were scheduled to get a 5-percent pay hike in July on top of the 5-percent raise they received last summer, a wage increase that appeared to cause ripples of discontent as other city workers were laid off and forced to take unpaid days off.
A majority of the 85-member union also voted to cut retirement benefits for new officers that are hired. Instead of being able to retire with up to 90-percent of their salary at age 50, new officers will be able to retire with up to 90 percent of their salary at age 55, the same retirement package that Tracy firefighters have.
The union also agreed to extend their contract through fiscal year 2011-12 with no extra benefits.
City managers are trying to save money in the face of a projected $9 million budget deficit. Tracy pays 100 percent of the retirement costs for all its workers, which costs the city about $9 million a year. It also pays $1,200 per month per employee for health insurance, an annual $6.2 million cost, and gives each full-time employee a minimum of 37 paid days off a year, including sick leave.
The changes to the police officers’ contract “balances the recognized public safety concerns while being sensitive to the City’s fiscal situation and the community’s economic hardships,” said Sgt. Alex Neicu in a press release on behalf of the union.City administrators seemed pleased as well.“I think it’s a win-win for everyone,” said Finance Director Zane Johnston. “The raise was huge, because that’s a lot of money.”
posted by City Manager @ 12:06 AM
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