Politics & Government

L.A. Council Approves Final Elements of New DWP Contract

The new labor agreement is projected to save the city $6.1 billion over the next 30 years.

The Los Angeles City Council gave final approval Tuesday to a new labor contract with about 8,200 Department of Water and Power workers that delays pay raises and revamps pension plans.

The four-year contract, approved an on 11-0 vote, covers employees represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 18. Union members ratified the deal in September.

DWP workers had been scheduled to get a cost-of-living raise of about 2 percent on Oct. 1. The new agreement will delay that increase to 2016.

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Top city officials have projected the labor pact will save DWP $6.1 billion over three decades and help control the cost of utility rates, which are still expected to go up over the next three years.

The deal adjusts salaries for incoming employees and revamps pension plans for new hires. The adjustments in the pension plans will settle a lawsuit between the city and members of the DWP pension system.

Find out what's happening in Pacific Palisadeswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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