CMCEA members,
CMCEA members voted Wednesday, Aug. 19, to ratify our successor Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City.
Thank you to everyone who showed up, asked questions, and cast a ballot. This agreement exists because members stayed engaged from the bargaining survey through the ratification vote.
What You Ratified
| TERM | Two (2) years: July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2028 |
| WAGE INCREASES | Base salary wages are increased as follows: • Effective the pay period that includes July 1, 2026, a three percent (3.0%) increase • Effective the pay period that includes July 1, 2027, a three percent (3.0%) increase |
| FLEX BENEFIT MEDICAL CONTRIBUTION | • Effective January 1, 2027, a $200/mo. increase to flex benefit contribution • Effective January 1, 2028, a $200/mo. increase to flex benefit contribution |
| SAFETY SHOE ALLOWANCE | Safety Shoe Allowance Increase to $300 |
| COMPENSATORY TIME OFF | Comp Time Max Accrual Increase from 60 hours to 100 hours (For Police Dept. ee’s who work w/out regard to holiday list, increase is from 80 hours to 100 hours) |
| SICK LEAVE | Increase sick leave accrual rate from 3.69 to 4.50 hours per pay period |
| SICK LEAVE USE LIMITATION | Family Leave Limitation—Employees may continue to use up to half the annual sick leave accrual for family members in the case of non-serious health conditions. Limitation cap will be waived in case of a serious health condition to care for family member (as defined in by the City’s Family Care and Medical Leave Act Administration Regulation). |
| HOLIDAY PAY (EMPLOYEES WHO WORK WITHOUT REGARDS TO HOLIDAYS) | Maximum rollover of 80 hours |
| LANGUAGE CLEAN UP | Non-substantive changes to MOU language |
What’s Next
The ratified agreement goes to the Costa Mesa City Council on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, for adoption. Upon City Council adoption, the new MOU will be final, and the City will begin implementing the terms above.
Thank you again for your participation throughout this process.
In Solidarity,
Your CMCEA Negotiations Team
