Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Port Arthur Police Officers’ Association 

President Chris Billiot

The Port Arthur Police Association and City of Port Arthur met with a Federal Mediator on Monday, January 27, to address ongoing contract negotiations, specifically regarding time off accrual policies. Despite mediation efforts, the parties were unable to reach an agreement, necessitating movement to arbitration.

The Police Association has proposed aligning their time off benefits with those currently provided to Port Arthur firefighters, focusing specifically on vacation accruals during the current contract period. In a demonstration of good faith, the Association offered to defer discussions of sick leave and holiday accrual adjustments until the next contract cycle in 2027.

The financial implications of this decision are significant. While the current proposal could be resolved for an estimated $500,000 distributed over three years, proceeding to arbitration may expose the City to potential costs of approximately $2.4 million to address accrual adjustments for both the past and current contract periods.

Our goal remains to provide the absolutely best service we can to the citizens of Port Arthur and to secure fair and equitable treatment regarding earned time off accruals for our officers. Despite making several concessions, we have been unable to reach a mutually beneficial agreement through traditional negotiations.