With the clock ticking on their current labor deal, San Bruno police officers are turning up the pressure on City Hall, arguing that their pay is falling behind neighboring departments and that shaky retention is turning into a real problem. City leaders counter that the budget is already tight and warn that big raises could mean cuts somewhere else in town.
Where talks stand
San Bruno Police Association President Thomy Ledesma told reporters the union is pushing to get officers to roughly 75% of market-rate pay and described the two sides as still "far apart." He noted that only about 17 of the department's roughly 70 sworn officers actually live in San Bruno and said pay gaps with nearby Peninsula agencies make it harder to recruit and keep staff. Negotiations started in August and have stretched through the holidays, according to the San Mateo Daily Journal.
Pay on the books
The city's 2025 pay schedule lists an entry-level police officer salary at $112,254, with step increases that top out near $137,749 at the most senior level. That official salary table, used for 2025 budgeting, breaks down each incremental step. The full schedule is posted by the City of San Bruno.
City says finances limit raises
City Manager Alex McIntyre told reporters the city strives to maintain compensation near a market benchmark but said the budget cannot absorb pay hikes that would later force service cuts. He added that differing expectations between employee groups and the city have kept talks unresolved as the end-of-year target approaches, according to the San Mateo Daily Journal.
Contract timeline
The police memorandum of understanding runs from Jan. 1, 2022, through Dec. 31, 2025, setting the formal end date for the current agreement. The document spells out salary structure, benefits and the bargaining procedures that apply to the union. The full MOU is available from the City of San Bruno.
Council meetings and closed sessions
City Council records show closed-session labor negotiations with Teamsters Local 856 and Teamsters Local 350 listed on the Dec. 9 meeting agenda, signaling that talks between management and union representatives are still active behind closed doors. Public agenda documents indicate the city has continued meeting in closed session with labor negotiators as contract discussions move along; the agenda packet is posted by the City of San Bruno.
Legal notes
The police MOU cites the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act as the legal framework for public-sector bargaining and includes standard grievance and impasse-resolution procedures. Any changes to pay schedules or working conditions must go through the MOU process and comply with state law, as detailed in the agreement document from the City of San Bruno.
Both sides say they want a deal, but with only weeks left in December, the standoff is a reminder of how expensive police labor can test a small city's finances. City officials and union negotiators are expected to keep grinding through the holidays in hopes of landing an agreement before the new year hits.
