Pleasanton
council OKs police deal
By Demian Bulwa
Times Staff Writer
Pleasanton - The City Council on Tuesday approved a four-year contract with 66
police officers that will cost the city an estimated additional $950,000.
It includes a long-sought four day week for officers, who will begin
the new schedule in January 2001. Until then the city and police leaders said they
will look at ways to create the schedule without having to spend more money or hire
officers.
"That's somewhat of an impossible task, but we've agreed to try to
make it work," said Assistant City Manager Nelson Fialho.
The president of the Pleasanton Police Officers Association - which represents officers and sergeants, but not dispatchers, community service officers or the command staff - said the schedule will allow employees to spend more time with their families.
"It's a quality-of-life deal," said Officer Craig Eicher, who became president a month ago after Sgt. Joe Buckovic stepped down from the post.
"We feel we provide a very high level of service to the city. We wanted to have some of that given back to us. If (officers) are happier, they'll do a better job than they already do."
Many of the police departments in the area have gone in this direction in recent years, including Fremont, San Leandro and Hayward.
Most cities in the state now have alternative work schedules, said City Manager Deborah Acosta, and the "four-10" plan is the most popular.
Pleasanton officers now work nine-hour shifts, five days one week and four days the next.
Mostly because of annual salary raises, the city's budget for the members of the association will rise from $6.5 million this year to $7.45 million in 2001-02 said Fialho.
The contract calls for salary increase of 4 percent in the first two years and 3 percent in the following two years. It also sets up a seniority program for shifts and vacation times, effective in January.
In a survey of officers before the negotiations began last January, Eicher said the leading desires were a raise over 3 percent, a four-10 schedule and a seniority sigh-up program.
Other requests officers brought to the table, but were not met, included increases in survivors' benefits and holiday pay, said Eicher.
"I thinks it's a good contract for the city and the police officers association," said Eicher. "We both got some good things."
The Valley Times - Wednesday, August 5, 1998