The City of Boulder and the Boulder Police Officers Association (BPOA) have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract for officers and sergeants, potentially avoiding a union pay dispute going to voters this fall.
The agreement, which still must be ratified by BPOA’s roughly 180 members, includes a 4.75% general salary increase and other non-economic provisions already negotiated in June. If members approve, the contract would resolve a standoff that escalated earlier this month when city council voted for a smaller raise than what a neutral arbitrator had recommended.
Union leaders previously criticized council’s 4% raise decision as “empty praise” given ongoing recruitment and retention challenges. City leaders pointed to a projected $8-10 million budget shortfall and a hiring freeze in defending their stance.
If the tentative deal falls through, council could still vote to place the matter on the November ballot, something that hasn’t happened with a Boulder police contract since 2005, according to the city.