State wins major arbitration over CCPOA

The State has won a major legal victory over CCPOA in an arbitration ruling issued Sept. 1 that says the union no longer is entitled to automatic pay increases tied to increases negotiated by the CHP officers' union.

The ruling clarifies a point of contention between the State and CCPOA over whether a previous contract clause continued beyond the contract's expiration. The previous contract, which ran from July 1, 2001, to July 2, 2006, granted four annual increases to CCPOA members to maintain a $666/mo. lag behind CHP officers, represented by the California Association of Highway Patrolmen. CCPOA salaries increased over 33 percent under that prior contract.

The arbitrator, Norman Brand, ruled that the tie between correctional officer salaries and CHP officer salaries ended when the last CCPOA contract expired, and that the State was under no obligation to pay CCPOA any additional salary increases beyond the four dates specified in the 2001-2006 contract.

The State's latest contract offer to CCPOA contains salary and benefit increases totaling nearly 20 percent over three years. The union's response is due by close of business Sept. 5.

Updated September 5, 2007 at 8:27 AM.