SJPD Union Official Blasts Contract Offer, Says 'Department Is Dying'
SAN JOSE (KCBS) - San Jose's police union is shooting down the latest contract offer from the city, presented Thursday.
"The city has put a new offer onto the table for our police union to consider and hopefully take to the officers, to give them a 5% general wage increase and a 4% bonus," explained San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed.
"We think that's a pretty good offer that the officers ought to have a change to vote on."
San Jose's Police Department Continues to Shrink
San Jose police officers have been leaving at the rate of six to ten per month as city officials work to balance salary and pension with financial constraints.
San Jose Police Officers' Association President Jim Unland was anything but impressed with the latest offer.
"We've had close to 70 officers leave so far this year, between retirements and resignations. Officers who go to other agencies are making about $1,500 to $2,000 more a month with these other agencies, and so to think 2.5% is going to stem that, it's not," he said.
"They just don't understand, this is a crisis. They don't get it," he continued. "And unfortunately, more and more officers are going to leave. We had another 50 officers talking to recruiters just yesterday. We have other officers that are getting contingency offers that will come to fruition in about another month, month and a half. I don't know what it's going to take for them to understand that this police department is dying."
More than $16 million for SJPD raises was approved by City Council in June.
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