Following a year of sometimes contentious negotiations between officials with the City of Austin and the Austin Police Association, an announcement was made on February 9, 2023 that a deal had finally been reached. The agreement, a four-year proposal, also included what was touted as some of the most robust oversight provisions anywhere in the nation. Later that same morning, however, some councilmembers expressed their strong opposition to that proposal, in part due to a May election that will pit two competing police oversight propositions against one another. That opposition set the ball in motion for a decision reached on Wednesday to pursue negotiations for a one-year extension of the union’s current contract instead.
The Council approved directing the City Manager to negotiate for a new meet and confer agreement with the APA that achieves the following goals:
- Maintain or improve existing terms, conditions, and privileges of employment for Austin Police Department officers.
- Preserve or enhance the City’s existing civilian oversight program for APD officers as established in the current APA labor contract and City Code Chapter 2-15.
- Provide for incorporation into the new agreement of any civilian oversight program enhancements that may be approved by Austin voters in the May 2023 elections.
- Have a term of no more than one year from the expiration date of the current meet and confer agreement.
“The Austin City Council sets policy. We will follow their direction through the Interim City Manager and approach the Austin Police Association to start negotiations for a 1-year contract in accordance with the provisions of the resolution passed,” Sarah Griffin, the City’s Interim Labor Relations Officer, said.
Now-former City Manager Spencer Cronk backed the four-year deal. He was fired Wednesday in the wake of the ice storm and power outages.
