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City Council OKs Labor Deal With LA Police Union

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — The City Council on Friday approved a three-year labor contract with the union that represents rank-and-file members of the Los Angeles Police Department.

The approval — which comes just one day after the city's contract expired with the Los Angeles Police Protective League — is expected to save the city hundreds of millions of dollars over the next three years.

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KNX 1070's Claudia Peschuitta reports.

While there are no salary increases included in the new agreement, union members will begin to receive a series of pay raises effective July 1, 2012.

The increases will start at one percent and will go as high as 2 percent in 2014.

City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana said earlier this week that concessions by police officers under the contract would fully pay for cost of living salary increases.

He noted that the city stands to save millions of dollars, primarily through reductions in pension and post-retirement benefit costs.

In his report to the council, Santana said the agreement will save the city $116 million in the 2011-12 fiscal year, $102 million in 2012-13 and $98 million in 2013-14.

Councilman Bernard Parks was the only dissenting vote on the contract, questioning the overall cost of the pact and saying it would actually cost the city more money, not save any.

But Councilman Dennis Zine noted that members of the LAPPL had not received a raise since July 1, 2008,

"Costs have gone up. The service to the community by the LAPD has continued," Zine said. "I think it's appropriate that they receive this and they deserve this."

The city had been seeking at least $41 million in concessions from the union, including requiring police officers to contribute part of their salaries toward their retirement health care.

According to Santana, the agreement gives officers a choice of whether to contribute 2 percent of their salaries toward
retiree health.

Union members who agree to the contribution will be vested in the existing benefits, along with any future increases in benefits. Members who decline will have their retirement health care subsidy frozen at the current level, according to Santana's report to the council.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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