The Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association announced Monday its members approved a labor contract with the city of Los Angeles that will provide “equitable salary and benefits” to its public safety officers.
LAAPOA called the agreement a “landmark contract” for its majority-minority police force membership, which they say has historically been “underpaid and undervalued.” The tentative agreement will be considered by the full L.A. City Council before it can be enacted.
“It sends a clear message from Mayor Karen Bass and her administration that she stands behind her commitment to elevate and compensate minorities, women and other disenfranchised people when they have received the same education and training and have risen to equivalent levels as other contemporaries in their profession,” according to a statement from the LAAPOA.
The current contract ended in June 2022 with the last raise in 2021. This successor contract will cover July 2023 to July 2026.
According to LAAPOA, the new deal includes overall parity with salaries and benefits of the contract with the union representing L.A. Police Department officers. However, the difference in the increases do not impact the city’s general fund or city taxpayers, since LAX officers are paid from landing fees.
The association represents rank-and-file airport police officers from the ranks of lieutenant and below. Funds that pay LAX officers’ salaries and benefits are from airport revenues — no general tax funds from the city are used.
LAAPOA also represents the rank-and-file of L.A. Park Rangers, the ranks of captain and below, and officers of the Municipal Police, formerly known as the General Services Police Department. All are specialized policing teams focused on specific safety needs of the city.
Marshall McClain, president of LAAPOA, said the association is “happy to finally get to this point with the city and mayor.”
“While the year-and-a-half-long process of negotiating this agreement has not been without difficulties and setbacks, Mayor Bass and her team must be commended for realigning the disparities that have existed in paying and recognizing airport police and all of our members for the hard work we do,” McClain said in a statement.
McClain said the association is working to increase its police force, which is down by 20% from 2018. Additionally, the association aims to provide its park rangers with necessary equipment.
As LAX prepares to expand with the addition of two more terminals, adding the People Mover tram, and preparing for major events such as the World Cup and Olympics, the tentative contract in place “allows all of us to put our efforts and attention where they need to be,” according to McClain.