TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Krishna Namburi, City Manager
FROM: Dan Atchison, City Attorney/Enterprise Services Director AIC
Michele Bennett, Human Resources Director AIC
SUBJECT:
title
Collective bargaining agreement between the City of Salem and the Salem Police Employees’ Union and Wage Reopener for July 1, 2026.
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
Result Area(s): Good Governance.
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SUMMARY:
summary
The City negotiated three-year collective bargaining agreements with the Salem Police Employees’ Union (SPEU), which represents both the officers and sergeants (SPEU-S) units. The 2025-2027 agreements included a wage reopener for July 1, 2026, to be negotiated before December 16, 2025. Negotiations were conducted on October 20, 2025, and a final tentative agreement for compensation in lieu of a base wage increase was reached. The employees represented by SPEU ratified the agreement on October 31, 2025. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) will be completed to formalize the terms and conditions of the bargained wage reopener per the SPEU collective bargaining agreements if approved by the City Council.
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ISSUE:
Shall the City Council approve the compensation as bargained between the City and Salem Police Employees’ Union (SPEU), for a period from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Approve the compensation as bargained between the City and Salem Police Employees’ Union (SPEU), for a period from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.
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FACTS AND FINDINGS:
The principal features of the negotiated compensation between the City and SPEU are as follows:
1. Term of Agreement: One year commencing on July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.
2. Graveyard Shift Differential: Effective July 1, 2026, SPEU members regularly assigned to a graveyard shift shall receive a ten percent (10%) shift differential for all actual hours worked.
3. Deferred Compensation: Effective July 1, 2025, the City shall offer a one percent (1%) per month contribution to SPEU members that contribute at least one percent (1%) of their pay to a deferred compensation account.
4. Collective Bargaining Agreements: The FY 2025 - 2027 agreements are posted under “Labor Contracts - SPEU and SPEU-S” online at: Pay Plans and Labor Contracts | Salem, Oregon (cityofsalem.net) <https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/jobs/employment-information/pay-plans-and-labor-contracts>
The approximate total financial impact is $916,000 and will be included in the Police Department’s FY 2027 budget to adjust for the increased personnel costs.
Allison Pavelek
Sr. Human Resources Analyst
Attachments:
1. None.