Personnel at the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff will see their wages increase by 5 percent each July for the next three years, with certain employees getting an extra 2.5-percent pay boost in 2017, as part of a newly approved labor contract.
The Contra Costa County supervisors on Tuesday gave final approval to the contract, which was ratified on March 22 with near-unanimous support by unions representing personnel. It was the first time such a contract had been ratified prior to the last contract expiring, said Sgt. Shawn Welch, president of the Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriffs Association.
The rushed contract came after the sheriff’s office complained about difficulty in recruitment and retention. In November, sheriff’s officials said a third of recruits hired since May 2010 have left for high-paying agencies, most within a year or two. Also, applications have decreased 40 percent since the peak in 2012, the sheriff’s office said.
The wage increases are expected to cost $24.3 million, including $8.7 million in pension payments, by fiscal year 2018/19, according to staff.