City Says Police Union Only Group Not Willing to Make Concessions

Roseville faces a structural deficit, and is asking all of its labor unions to agree to deals that save the city money.

The police union is the only group that has been unwilling to do so, the city said in a press release Tuesday.

"However, the union leadership of the [Roseville Police Officers Association] has been unwilling to take on pension costs unless the City agrees to a compensation increase that outweighs the pension costs," the city press release stated. "This would result in a net cost increase to the City, jeopardizing the strategy to close the city’s structural deficit."

The police union previously said it was willing to pay 9 percent of the city's share of pension costs, but also said officers from nearby departments are better paid.

The city countered that Roseville cops have received a 17 percent salary increase since 2007.

“Because we value the excellent work our officers do in our community, our salary and benefits package is very competitive in the region,” the release quoted City Manager Ray Kerridge as saying. “When we have an opening, we have no problem attracting qualified candidates to join our police department, and the compensation package we offer is a big reason for that.”

The full press release from the city follows:

A concessionary contract with Roseville Police Officers Union is vital to City’s long-term economic stability

The City of Roseville continues to work toward a labor agreement with the union leadership of the Roseville Police Officers Association. A key point of negotiations with all of the City’s employee groups since 2011 is that the contract must be concessionary—resulting in a cost-savings to the City, with employees paying toward pension costs.

To fulfill its obligation to close the structural deficit, the City asked Local 39, IBEW, Roseville Firefighters, and the Management/Confidential group for concessionary contracts. All have agreed to concessionary contracts over the past 18 months.

However, the union leadership of the RPOA has been unwilling to take on pension costs unless the City agrees to a compensation increase that outweighs the pension costs. This would result in a net cost increase to the City, jeopardizing the strategy to close the city’s structural deficit.

“The City is very open to proposals, to moving forward and working out a new contract, but we need to see a costs savings to the City,” said City Manager Ray Kerridge. “Every proposal the union leadership has made adds significant costs to the City.”

Since 2007, Roseville police officers have had a 17 percent increase in salary. “Because we value the excellent work our officers do in our community, our salary and benefits package is very competitive in the region,” Kerridge said. “When we have an opening, we have no problem attracting qualified candidates to join our police department, and the compensation package we offer is a big reason for that.”

Like the private sector, the public sector continues to make changes that are consistent with the economic challenges it faces. “We appreciate the role our employees have played in working cooperatively to reach new contracts,” Kerridge said.  “We hope the police union’s leaders will recognize the need to implement cost savings similar to what all other city employees have done to strengthen both the current and future economic stability of the City.”