AUSTIN, Texas — The city of Austin and the Austin Police Association (APA) are set to resume formal negotiations on a new long-term contract on March 13.
In a press release, the city said, "Negotiations are never perfect, but we all agree there is a path forward to help us begin to turn around the public safety crisis we're in." The city said both it and the APA are committed to finding a resolution and the two parties are confident any agreement reached will "address community concerns, navigate current legal challenges, and be approved by council."
The city said details about the negotiations are still being finalized, but once the location and time of the discussion are decided, that information will also be posted on the city's website and shared on its social media accounts.
"I’m grateful to Mayor Watson, city management, and those on the City Council I’ve had the opportunity to speak with for their efforts and commitments to finding a path forward so we can resume formal contract negotiations. The only way we are able to move forward is by working together as this is one community," APA President Michael Bullock said. "I’m encouraged by the progress we’re making and hope that we will be able to move through this process in a way that benefits all involved, most of all the community we serve."
In his newsletter, Watson said he and Bullock have spent a lot of time talking and "while we don't agree on everything and likely won't, I appreciated his openness and clarity."
"I appreciate that our work together along with others to find a way back to the negotiating table has paid off," Watson wrote. "We agree that a long-term contract is in the best interest of the officers as well as community safety. We agree that a contract is the best way to approach filling vacancies and retaining officers. I’m hopeful that we can get this done.
Background
The city and APA have been stalled over police contract negotiations for more than a year. In February 2023, a stopgap measure was passed by city leaders to keep officer pay and benefits and police oversight in place.
However, city leaders and APA hit a roadblock when Equity Action filed a lawsuit against the city for not fully implementing the Police Oversight Act, otherwise known as Prop A, which was overwhelmingly passed in May 2023 by voters.
The main focus was expanding access to the G-file, which contains personnel information of officers' allegations and misconduct. Watson has stated that the G-file will not be part of future labor contracts regardless of the court ruling.
On Feb. 1, Watson and the city council signed off on another stopgap measure to extend pay and benefits for police officers until March 31, 2025. The measure was designed to bring APA back to the negotiating table and also offers a controversial bonus, which would reward $500 for every officer if talks start up again,and $2,500 if a contract agreement is successfully reached.