Austin, police union negotiate new labor contract after eventful five years
The city of Austin and the Austin Police Association met for their sixth day of negotiations Monday as they work toward a new labor contract.
The city’s bargaining team proposed changes to the contract’s drug-testing and promotion provisions, citing recommendations from a January 2022 report by a consulting firm hired to review the Austin Police Department. APA’s bargaining team will respond at a seventh meeting, which likely won’t occur until June.
As in the past, the two parties seek to balance calls for increased oversight, accountability and transparency with demands for increased pay and benefits.
But a lot has happened in Austin over the past five years.
The current contract took effect in November 2018 after a prolonged negotiating period and expires Sept. 30. City Council unanimously rejected the initial version of the five-year agreement in December 2017, sending it back to the negotiating table.
Read more: https://www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2022/05/city-police-union-negotiate-new-labor-contract-after-eventful-five-years/