City Council Agenda Report
March 17, 2026
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager
BY: Carina Montes, Director of Human Resources/Risk Manager SUBJECT: RESOLUTION NO. 26-15 – TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR
THE CITY OF NORWALK AND THE NORWALK CITY EMPLOYEES
ASSOCIATION (GENERAL & HOURLY UNITS) AND RESOLUTION NO. 26-16 – ADOPTION OF A NINE-STEP SALARY SCHEDULE FOR NORWALK CITY
EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION
Summary:
The City of Norwalk (“City”) has fulfilled all required negotiation and impasse resolution procedures with the Norwalk City Employees Association (“NCEA”). In accordance with the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act, and after having fully exhausted the impasse process, the City is now legally authorized to impose the Terms and Conditions of Employment based on the single-year Last, Best and Final Offer (“LBFO”) presented to NCEA on August 6, 2025.
The LBFO included the implementation of the nine-step salary structure and 18 tentative agreements reached between the City and NCEA, but the NCEA declined the City’s offer.
Therefore, the staff recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 26-15 to implement employment terms and conditions of employment for the NCEA bargaining unit and Resolution No. 26-16 to approve the nine-step salary schedule for the Norwalk City Employees Association.
The adoption of these resolutions will provide employees with a pay increase to the closest and higher step of the Nine-Step Salary Schedule.
Background:
The Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Norwalk (“City”) and the Norwalk City Employees Association (“NCEA”) (General & Hourly Units), expired on June 30, 2025 (“MOU”).
The parties engaged in successor MOU negotiations beginning on or around January 15, 2025.
City Council March 17, 2026
Resolution No. 26-15 – Terms and Conditions of
Employment & Resolution No. 26-16 – Adoption of a
Nine-Step Salary Structure
Page No. 2
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The parties held 19 negotiation sessions between January and August 2025 and reached 18 tentative agreements during those negotiations.
The City notified the NCEA of the compensation study, and both parties agreed to use Carson, Downey, Gardena, Pico Rivera, Torrance, and Whittier as comparison cities. The primary objective of the compensation study was to align employee salary ranges with “competitive market levels” while addressing long-term compensation compression concerns. Additionally, the nine-step salary structure expands opportunities for pay progression, offering both immediate increases and sustained long-term growth for employees. However, employees whose salaries are already at or above market levels may see smaller percentage adjustments, as their compensation is already aligned with the competitive market.
On August 6, 2025, the NCEA declined to accept the City’s LBFO proposal. As a result, the City declared impasse on September 4, 2025, and the parties proceeded to participate in the impasse process. The parties participated in Impasse Mediation on September 19 and 22, 2025; and later participated in the final step of the impasse process of factfinding on January 7, 2026 The factfinding report was finalized on February 11, 2026 (Attachment 4) and is publicly available on the City’s website.
The Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (“MMBA”) codified in Government Code sections 3500-3511, governs labor-management relations in public employment. The MMBA sets forth the procedures for labor negotiations, as well as requirements for impasse, factfinding and subsequent implementation of terms and conditions of employment. Government Code section 3505.7 provides in relevant part:
“After any applicable mediation and factfinding procedures have been exhausted, but no earlier than 15 days after the factfinders’ written findings of fact and recommended terms of settlement have been submitted to the parties pursuant to Section 3505.5, a public agency […] may, after holding a public hearing regarding the impasse, implement its last, best, and final offer, but shall not implement a memorandum of understanding.
The unilateral implementation of a public agency’s last, best, and final offer shall not deprive a recognized employee organization of the right each year to meet and confer on matters within the scope of representation, whether or not those matters are included in the unilateral implementation, prior to the adoption by the public agency of its annual budget, or as otherwise required by law.”
The City and IAMAW have fully exhausted the impasse process as required by law, and were unable to reach agreement on a full-term MOU. As a result, the City Council may now lawfully impose terms and conditions of employment based on the City’s single-year LBFO issued on August 6, 2025. This action implements the nine-step salary structure and 18 tentative agreements, promotes labor stability, sets a compensation ceiling, and keeps negotiations open.
The City remains committed to bargaining in good faith on outstanding issues.
City Council March 17, 2026
Resolution No. 26-15 – Terms and Conditions of
Employment & Resolution No. 26-16 – Adoption of a
Nine-Step Salary Structure
Page No. 3
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Fiscal Impact:
The estimated cost of implementation of the Terms and Conditions of Employment is detailed in table below. Fiscal year 2026 represents the cost estimate for the remainder of the current fiscal year. Costs for three subsequent years represent annual personnel expenditures increases, absent any salary adjustments negotiated during the upcoming labor negotiations.
If approved and adopted by City Council, employees will see an increase in their April 17, 2026, paychecks. Each increase varies based on whether the employees’ pay is below, at or at market.
Citizens Advised:
A Notice of Public Hearing was published and posted on March 6, 2026.
Strategic Plan 2023 Implementation:
N/A
Recommended Action:
Staff recommend City Council adopt:
a. Resolution No. 26-15, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
NORWALK IMPLEMENTING TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR THE
CITY OF NORWALK AND THE NORWALK CITY EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION (GENERAL & HOURLY UNITS), and
b. Resolution No. 26-16, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
NORWALK IMPLEMENTING ADOPTION OF THE NINE-STEP SALARY SCHEDULE FOR THE GENERAL AND HOURLY/AT WILL EMPLOYEES.
Attachments:
1. Resolution No. 26-15 – Including Exhibit A - Terms & Conditions of Employment
2. Resolution No. 26-16 – Including Exhibit A - Nine-Step Salary Schedule
3. Norwalk Single – Year LBFO 08-06-25
4. February 11, 2026 Factfinding Report