Councilmember Tim Burgess (Position 8 – Citywide), chair of the City’s Labor Relations Policy Committee, issued the following statement regarding the reported vote by the Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) to reject the City’s contract offer:
“The City negotiated with SPOG in good faith. We attempted to accommodate many of the union’s requests without weakening our essential accountability or management proposals. It’s disappointing to reach agreement with the SPOG negotiating team only to have their membership reject the deal so resoundingly.
“The negotiated agreement provided excellent compensation and working conditions for our officers. It increased accountability, strengthened civilian oversight, and provided police leadership with essential management authority. This agreement honored and upheld the good work of our officers and recognized how a 21st century police department should function. The elected leadership of the City will not move away from the accountability and management essentials of the agreement.”