Salinas City Council to consider police agreement

The Salinas City Council is set to consider a new memorandum of understanding between the city and the Salinas Police Officers Association on Tuesday.

The old MOU between the city and the SPOA ended on the last day of 2018, and both parties began negotiating new terms this year including officer pay, benefits and contracts.

In early April, the city declared an impasse saying both parties could not reach a deal. The SPOA says even after a neutral third party made some recommendations for the new agreement, the city is still refusing to take their demands into account, and they worry more officers will leave.

“We’re in the midst of a staffing crisis and by forcing officers to take a pay cut, they’re going to force more officers to leave the city,” said Dustin DeRollo, a SPOA spokesperson. “Within the last three months, we’ve had three police officers resign from the city of Salinas to go to other departments.”

And with the city potentially proposing its last, best and final offer with the police union on Tuesday, the group worries it will affect emergency response times, recruitment and crime prevention.

One key issue in the city’s final proposal: there will be no wage adjustments for police officers. Instead, officers would have to share in the cost of health coverage by the paying five percent of their premiums and lose other incentives.

“So all we’re doing is trying to keep the system whole so that we can continue providing the rest of the services,” said Salinas Mayor Joe Gunter.

Increases in the public employee’s retirement costs through CalPERS, workers compensation and health insurance all threaten the financial stability of Salinas.

Mayor Gunter says there’s no animosity toward police, but the city is in a tough spot.

“There is no other way unless we want to cut services, and that’s the only thing we provide,” said Gunter. “And I don’t think, in good conscience, I could tell people
we’re not going to give money for the soccer fields, I’m not going to open parks and recreation facilities.”

The SPOA, however, says they would accept the city’s proposals, but they want to see a three year contract for officers, which include pay increases by about 2.5 percent for Years Two and Three.

Residents here are concerned about the affects a bad deal could have.

“I believe they’re going to leave elsewhere, maybe to look for another city that gives them the benefits,” said Paul Muniz, a Salinas resident.

It is not a done deal yet. The SPOA plans to attend the city council meeting on Tuesday to urge them to vote against the final offer in hopes of continuing negotiations.