TITLE
Adopt the October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2014 Memorandum of Understanding with the Long Beach Police Officers Association, and adopt the resolution approving the Memorandum of Understanding with the Long Beach Police Officers Association; and allow those matters that affect compensation to be implemented on the effective dates set forth in the October 1, 2005 through September 30, 2009 Amended Memorandum of Understanding and the October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2014 Memorandum of Understanding. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The Long Beach Police Officers Association (LBPOA), recognizing the severe budget challenges resulting from a prolonged recession, has agreed to amend the current Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to reduce the previously negotiated September 30, 2009 salary adjustment. Based upon the current agreement, the City is legally bound to raise police officer pay to the median of the nine largest city police agencies in California, which would have been 9.3 percent on September 30,2009. The POA has agreed to reduce this compensation adjustment by 7.3 percent to the minimum 2 percent adjustment, reducing next year's General Fund deficit by $7.6 million. If this solution had not been achieved, the City would need to pay $9.9 million annually totaling $49.5 million in increased police salary costs over the next five years, assuming no further salary increases during the five-year period.
In exchange for foregoing the median adjustment, a new Memorandum is proposed that smoothes the median adjustment over the next five years. Under the new agreement, the POA has agreed to no new salary increases in Fiscal Year 2010 and 2012, and the overall increases in the new MOU will total 11 percent during the five years. In addition, the POA has agreed to lower the retirement formula to three percent at 55 if any three of nine comparable regional cities adopt this formula. The POA has also agreed to reopen the MOU to discuss pension changes at any time...
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