Fremont City Council Meeting: 01/20/26 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: Human Resources
Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Labor Relations
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 5615) DOC ID: 5615
Updated: 1/16/2026 8:30 AM by Dina Lewis Page 1
FREMONT POLICE ASSOCIATION MOU - Consideration of a Resolution Approving a Successor Memorandum of Understanding with the Fremont Police Association (FPA)
Contact Persons:
Name: Tina Gallegos Brian Stott
Title: Human Resources Director Assistant City Manager
Div/Dept: Human Resources City Manager's Office
Phone: 510-494-4652 510-494-4660
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: In January 2026, following completion of the meet-and-confer process, mediation, and factfinding, the City of Fremont (City) and the Fremont Police Association (FPA) concluded labor negotiations for a successor Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The bargaining unit consists of 191 members. The proposed MOU incorporates modest compensation and health-benefit allowance increases (inclusive of a parity clause), an increase to the POST certificate pay, and modifications to specialist pay.
All other substantive provisions of the MOU remain unchanged. The effective date of the successor MOU will be January 11, 2026 (start of the first full pay period following FPA ratification), through June 30, 2026.
BACKGROUND: The City’s MOU with FPA expired on June 30, 2025. Following multiple negotiation sessions, the City presented its Last, Best, and Final Offer (LBFO) to FPA on July 2, 2025. FPA declared impasse on August 12, 2025, and requested an impasse meeting, which took place on August 21, 2025. When no agreement was reached at the impasse meeting, the parties mutually agreed to mediate, and a mediation was held on September 23, 2025. As the parties did not settle at mediation, the parties selected a neutral, third-party to serve as the chair of a factfinding panel, and a factfinding hearing was held on November 6, 2025. The advisory factfinding panel issued its non-binding Factfinding Report and Recommendations for Settlement on December 1, 2025.
After concluding the statutorily required factfinding process, the parties reached a tentative agreement for a successor MOU, and FPA members ratified the tentative agreement on January 10, 2026. California Government Code Section 3505.1 requires the City Council to vote on the proposed successor MOU at a duly noticed public meeting.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS: The significant changes in the proposed MOU include:
1. Employee Compensation:
a) The salaries for the classifications listed in Appendix A of this MOU shall be increased by 1.3% effective the start of the first full pay period following FPA ratification of a tentative agreement for a successor MOU.
2. Health Benefit Allowance:
Council Staff Report (ID # 5615) Meeting of January 20, 2026 Updated: 1/16/2026 8:30 AM by Dina Lewis Page 2
a) Effective the first of the month following FPA ratification of the tentative agreement, the Health Benefits Allowance shall increase by $200.00, with a maximum set at $2,900.00 per month.
3. Parity or “Me Too”:
a) If, during the term of this Memorandum of Understanding, the City grants an across-the-board wage increase to another bargaining unit greater than the
1.3% provided in Article 2, Section 12.1, the City agrees to extend the equivalent general wage increase to all classifications listed in Appendix A.
This provision does not apply to increases that are the result of any market equity increases or increases based on internal relationships (e.g., compaction). This provision will sunset at 11:59 p.m. on June 30, 2026.
4. POST Certificate Pay:
a) Effective the first full pay period following FPA ratification of the tentative agreement, Officers and Sergeants who possess a POST Intermediate Certificate shall be compensated an additional 2.5%, for a total of 5.0%, of base salary from date of qualification, and Officers and Sergeants who possess a POST Advanced Certificate shall be compensated an additional
2.5%, for a total of 7.5%, of base salary from date of qualification.
FISCAL IMPACT:
1. Compensation Increase:
a) Fiscal Year 2025/26 Anticipated Fiscal Impact: $542,000
2. Health Benefit Allowance:
a) Fiscal Year 2025/26 Anticipated Fiscal Impact: $84,000
3. POST Certificate Pay Increase:
a) Fiscal Year 2025/26 Anticipated Fiscal Impact: $591,000
Staff will return to City Council with recommended adjustments to the FY 2025/26 Adopted Budget reflecting the terms of the approved MOU.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: The proposed approval of a successor MOU is exempt from and not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because, without limitation, it is not a “project” as defined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(2) and/or 15378(b)(5), and it has no possibility of having a significant effect on the environment, as specified in CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), each as a separate and independent basis for CEQA compliance.
ATTACHMENTS:
• Draft Resolution- FPA Successor MOU
RECOMMENDATION: Adopt a resolution approving the tentative agreement reached with the Fremont Police Association (FPA) for a successor MOU and authorizing the City Manager to execute an MOU for the period of January 11, 2026, through June 30, 2026, between the City and the FPA.