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After the recent discovery of an administrative clerical error caused Camp Pendleton police officers to receive pay cuts of 25% per month and back-pay bills for up to $35,000 each, NFFE is pleased to announce that due to actions taken by the union, Camp Pendleton police officers’ salaries are now returning to the higher pay table.
The pay cuts and back-pay bills resulted from an administrative error in 2008, which placed the Pendleton officers on a special rate table based on higher San Diego City rates instead of the lower pay table for San Diego County. A total of 65 officers were given and accepted written employment offers at the special rate of pay. In March 2017, the DoD notified these police officers that they would be billed for nine years of overpayment and moved to the lower pay table—egregiously fining them for a clerical mistake that occurred through no fault of their own.
NFFE quickly sprang into action. In a letter from NFFE National President Randy Erwin dated March 22, 2017 addressed to Defense Secretary James Mattis, NFFE demanded that the DoD remove the pay cuts and the back-pay debt. NFFE Local 919 did an outstanding job of raising awareness about the injustice toward the police officers by issuing a press release dated March 23, 2017 that put the local community members of Congress on notice about what was happening.
Finally, in a letter dated April 11, 2017, OPM approved NFFE’s demands and returned the Camp Pendleton police officers to the higher pay table. It is the direct result of NFFE action that the pay cuts were removed for the 65 police officers. NFFE thanks the DoD for recognizing the devastating and undue burden this pay cut would have on the police officers, and for its fast work in rightfully returning the officers to the higher pay table.
Despite this victory, the fight is not over for Camp Pendleton police officers. The issue of the back-pay bills and the crippling debt it places on the officers remains to be resolved. “This is devastating to our officers and their families,” stated Camp Pendleton Police Officer Thomas Brockson, who also serves as vice-president of NFFE Local 919. “Our officers are in no way responsible for this, yet they will get bills from the government for up to $35,000. That’s pretty hard to pay back when you live paycheck to paycheck.”
NFFE congratulates NFFE Local 919 in its success at waiving the pay cuts, and supports continued efforts to withdraw the back-pay bills and secure the pay that the Camp Pendleton police officers both demand and deserve.
-Read NFFE’s letter to the DoD here
-Read the related NFFE Local 919 press release here