PORT ARTHUR, Texas — Union leaders for officers with the Port Arthur Police Department say they are facing uncertainty as contract negotiations with the city stall two weeks before their current agreement expires.
The key point of contention centers on vacation, holiday and sick leave accruals, specifically how work hours are calculated, according to a news release from Chris Billiot, President of the Port Arthur Police Officers' Association. While the city identifies the work day as eight hours, Billiot explained that the "vast majority of our officers work a 10-hour work day," which significantly impacts paid time off calculations.
The current agreement expires on December 31, 2024, according to the release.
The union is not seeking preferential treatment, but rather "the same benefits and fair treatment as our Firefighter civil service counterparts," according to the news release. Billiot noted in the release that Port Arthur Firefighters, who also have collective bargaining rights, already calculate their paid time off based on their actual work day.
Billiot says there are ongoing challenges to recruit and retain qualified police officers in the city. He says the union has been working to develop a competitive benefits package to address significant staffing shortages that have plagued the department in recent years.
"Over the past several years, the Police Officers' Association and the Port Arthur Police Department have experienced many hardships in retaining and recruiting quality applicants," Billiot said in the news release. While he acknowledged improvements have been made, he emphasized the need to maintain a competitive benefits package to attract and retain quality police officers.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
