Committee advances broad package of city labor agreements; police wage amendments moved to full board without recommendation

The San Francisco Government Audit & Oversight Committee on June 2 advanced a broad set of successor memorandums of understanding (MOUs) and related amendments covering many city employee groups and unrepresented classifications, but split its recommendations on police wage amendments so the full Board may debate them further.

Human Resources Director Carol Eisen and Employee Relations Director Artis Graham presented highlights from a package covering 33 amended MOUs (27 successor MOUs, wage amendments for police and fire, and an unrepresented ordinance): an across‑the‑board general wage increase, targeted labor market adjustments to address roughly 2,500 city vacancies, codification of Juneteenth as a paid holiday, health and safety language improvements, expanded tuition reimbursement, and hiring agreements with large unions. The presenters said nearly all agreements were ratified by union memberships; one craft coalition matter was resolved via arbitrator award.

For sworn personnel, staff described police and fire amendments that largely restore wage increases deferred during the pandemic and add recruitment/retention incentives. Staff said police changes include eliminating the initial entry step so that what had been step 2 becomes step 1, added longevity premiums (2% at five and 15 years) and other step adjustments aimed at making San Francisco more competitive with peer agencies. Staff cited recruitment challenges — fewer than 10 applicants for the most recent academy cohort — and estimated combined police costs for step and restoration adjustments in the low‑to‑tens of millions of dollars (staff offered several figures during Q&A, including a $16 million estimate for step/restoration components and a separate $22 million restoration figure referenced earlier in discussion).

Public commenters included union leaders and callers urging Board approval and increased police staffing. Tracy McCray, acting president of the San Francisco Police Officers Association, said retention was “probably the most important facet” for policing right now and warned that losing officers would erode patrols and services.

Supervisor Dean Preston raised policy objections to advancing sizable police pay concessions without accompanying commitments on reforms that had been discussed in prior Board debates. He noted recent controversies and concerns about work slowdowns, and said the Board should have fuller policy debate before final votes. Supervisor Rafael Mandelmann moved to send the majority of amendments with a positive recommendation but to forward the two police items (30 and 31) to the full Board without a committee recommendation; that motion passed.

Other items: the committee forwarded items 2–26 (a bundle of successor MOUs) as a committee report to the full Board, moved item 27 (compensation for unrepresented classifications) to the full Board without recommendation while staff provides a detailed list of included job titles, and referred item 34 (carryforward of accrued in‑lieu/ floating holidays) to the Rules Committee as amended so it can meet scheduling deadlines.

Votes and next steps: the package will proceed to the Board of Supervisors, where members will debate the police amendments and other items; staff said the mayor’s proposed budget includes the police costs discussed by negotiators.