Police Union Doesn't Want Garcetti, Beck Talking to the Rank and File

The union representing Los Angeles police officers signaled its intent today to file a complaint with the city in an effort to bar Mayor Eric Garcetti and the police chief from attending police roll calls to talk to its members about ongoing labor negotiations.

Tyler Izen, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, said that under state and city law, the mayor, Chief Charlie Beck and other LAPD management staff are "prohibited from communicating with employees concerning subjects of ongoing collective bargaining negotiations" when the two sides are not at an impasse.

"The law is very clear," Izen said.

The union plans to file an unfair employee relations practices complaint with the city employee relations board next week, union spokesman Eric Rose said.

The LAPD declined comment, referring reporters to the mayor's office, which had no immediate response.

Izen contends the mayor told reporters he plans to "meet with LAPD officers to explain the contract proposal that was recently rejected by the rank-and-file," while Beck "canceled an out-of-town trip to attend roll calls and other meetings with specialized units to discuss the contract."

The Los Angeles Police Protective League represents 9,900 rank-and-file police officers. A proposed labor agreement reached by city management and union officials earlier this month was rejected by union members during a ratification vote last week.

The proposed one-year agreement did not include cost-of-living increases for most employees, but would have raised starting annual salaries by $7,000 - - to about $57,000 -- beginning in January.

The proposed contract would have also increased the amount the city would pay in overtime from an initially budgeted $30 million to $70 million. The city would also start paying down overtime that was banked over the past few years.

The tentative contract would have extended a labor pact that expired June 30.

--City News Service