From: PORAC Law Enforcement News
By: PORAC Magazine, November 2000
The members of the Colton Police Officer’s Association and the City of Colton are to be congratulated for becoming leaders in San Bernardino County, says Robert M. Wexler, Esq., who represented the association throughout the negotiations process.
The association’s new three-year contract with the city, which provides for the immediate implementation of 3% at 50, makes the city one of the first in San Bernardino County to recognize the benefits of the new formula.
Under the terms of the agreement, every member will receive a 6 percent salary increase in July 2001, and an additional 7 percent in July 2002. In addition to those raises, personnel assigned as corporals and detectives will now be a paid a differential of 10% above their base salaries.
Moreover, the city agreed to pick up any increases in the cost of providing health insurance benefits to each employee during the term of the contract. In another bold and innovative move, the city and the association agreed to contract language that prevents the city from committing to providing any raises or benefits to any other employee group based upon the raises or benefits received by the POA.
This anti-“Me-Too” clause is thought to be the first of its type in police contracts. Finally the association will be able to negotiate its own merits, without the city’s hands being tied by commitments to grant any benefits received by the association to other bargaining groups.
Armed with a fair and pioneering contract, the Association looks forward to assisting the city council in attracting high-caliber officers to the city so the citizens of Colton can continue to receive the outstanding level of services to which they have come accustomed, said Wexler.
