The City of Pendleton and the city’s unionized police force resolved the issue over wages before mediation became necessary, but the city’s fire department is headed to mediation.   The police force will receive an eight percent raise over the course of two years, according to their new labor contract. 

There are 19 members in Pendleton’s City Police Association, all of whom have already ratified their new contract.   The city approved it just a few days later.   The first portion of their raise occurred July 1^st.   Another three percent will kick in January 1^st, and the final two percent will occur in July 2018. 

According to the president of the association, the salary hike allows Pendleton to catch up to other comparable police forces.  

The police in Pendleton compared their earnings to those in Oregon with cities ranging from 50 percent to 150 percent of the city’s size.   The goal was to get Pendleton’s force to what the union called “market value” in order to keep the best of the best on the force. 

The International Association of Fire Fighters, which represented 21 members in Pendleton, is headed to mediation to resolve its contract issues.   That union is requesting a salary increase for its three-year contract, but has not stated publicly how much of an increase is wanted. 

Both city and union officials recently met with a state mediator in a formal setting, and then have met two more times informally to further discuss the issues.   Mediation can last up to 15 days, at which point the two sides must decide whether to continue mediation attempts or declare an impasse.   Public safety officials in Oregon are not legally allowed to strike.