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Negotiations Reach Impasse, Layoffs Impending

OAKLAND, Calif. (KCBS/CC TIMES) 11th hour negotiations have broken down between the city of Oakland and the police officers union, meaning 80 police officers are expected to be without jobs come Monday.

According to the Contra Costa Times, the two sides remain stuck on a question of what kind of job security police should be given if they agree to changes to their pension system.

City Council President Jane Brunner said the city offered a deal that would have required police to pay 9 percent of their salaries into their pensions and accept a two-tiered pension plan in exchange for a promise that no one would be laid off for one year, and no one hired before June 5, 2006 would be laid off for the remainder of the contract.

But Police Sergeant Barry Donelan, vice president of the Oakland Police Officers Association, said the city's offer would have exposed 171 police officers to the possibility of layoffs.

The City Council voted on June 24 to lay off 80 officers as part of a package of budget-balancing proposals.

At the time, they said they hoped they could rescind the layoffs by reaching a deal with the union.

But Brunner said Friday the city could not agree to the union's offer when Oakland could see deficits continue to grow for the duration of the contract.

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