Bainbridge Island police officers will get a 2 percent increase in pay if a new union contract is approved by the city council this week.
The city council is expected to review the proposed contract at its meeting June 23.
The contract covers the time period of Jan. 1, 2013 through Dec. 31, 2015, and officers who are on the department’s roster when the new agreement is signed will get retroactive pay through the start of 2014.
The base wage scale for officers is currently $60,324 to $75,660 a year; lieutenants are paid between $77,256 to $91,536 annually.
Officers will also get a cost-of-living increase of 1.5 percent to 2.5 percent under the new agreement in January 2015 when the base wage scale is increased.
The 21-page contract also sets out requirements for grievance procedures, overtime, vacation and sick leave.
The contract includes an “employee bill of rights,” as well, for when officers are subject to discipline. Contract provisions prevent officers being subject to lie detector tests as a condition of continued employment, and random drug and alcohol testing is also prohibited unless required by state or federal law, or when those tests are done in connection with post-accident testing or probable cause incidents.
The proposed agreement also sets out benefit packages for employees.
The city of Bainbridge Island will pick up the entire costs of officers’ health insurance premiums, effective Jan. 1, 2013.
The city will also pay 90 percent of health care coverage costs for spouses and families.
In the first month after the agreement is ratified, employees will be required to pay $25 a month toward their medical insurance premiums. That contribution will rise to $30 a month starting Jan. 1, 2015.
The city will also pay 100 percent of the cost of dental insurance for officers, their spouses and families, and will also pay the entire costs of vision care premiums.
Bainbridge will also pay the premiums of a $100,000 life/disability plan for officers.
The city will also provide uniforms and equipment for officers, and will give officers $75 per month for dry cleaning services.
Also in the contract: Each officer will receive $200 each year for footwear.
The city will also pay $50 each time an officer’s wristwatch is damaged, and up to $250 for glasses or vision-care items that are damaged while the officer is on the job.
Detectives will get an added clothing allowance of $50 a month.
The proposed agreement also includes an education incentive.
Officers who have earned an associate degree or 90 college credits in a job-related field of study can be paid 2.5 percent of their base monthly wage. For officers with a bachelor’s degree or 180 college credits, the monthly incentive will be 5 percent of their base pay.
Officers are also eligible for longevity pay after five years, which will be based on 1 percent of base pay for each five years of continuous service.
The city will also match 2 percent of officer’s base pay for those who want to participate in a tax-deferred compensation program.
