NLV police union to defer cost-of-living increase to save city money

North Las Vegas's police union has agreed to defer a 4 percent annual cost-of-living increase to save the financially strapped city money, officials said today.

The 475 city police and collections officers represented by the North Las Vegas Police Officers Association voted last week on the concessions, which also include a six-month deferral on clothing allowances and deferring sick leave "sell-back" for a year.

Employees have the option of selling back to the city a portion of their unused sick leave each year.

Pending City Council approval, the raises will be deferred to later years. The concessions will save the city about $4.4 million.

The city is in the midst of a hiring freeze and has trimmed about $16 million from its 2008-09 budget. Its firefighter union previously voted to defer a 3.5 percent cost-of-living increase for a year beginning July 1.

The city's largest employee union, Teamsters Local 14, is still in negotiations with the city.