LEWISTON — The city and the union representing police patrol officers and detectives are proposing changes to its collective bargaining agreement in an effort to attract and retain officers, as well as comply with the state’s new Paid Family Medical Leave Act.

According to a City Council memo, a proposed police union contract for fiscal years 2025-27 would adjust the wage scales, reducing the number of years it takes for officers to reach the highest wages.

Acting City Administrator Brian O’Malley, a former Lewiston police chief, said the city is experiencing difficulty in attracting and retaining police officers due to the “tight labor environment.”

The force has eight vacancies.

The new contract, which the council will be asked to approve Tuesday, also includes an agreement from the union to pay 50% of the Paid Family Medical Leave Act premium.

O’Malley said city administration recently met with the patrol and detective union to discuss the Paid Family Medical Leave program, and during the talks the current police department vacancies were also discussed.

The union proposed adjusting the pay scale for officers, shifting the top wage step from 18 years to 15 years; the 15-year step to 12 years; and the 11-year step to 10 years.

Councilor Josh Nagine, who was outspoken recently in his opposition to the new union contract for Public Works employees, said he’s been “extremely critical” of pay negotiations that take effect outside of the approved municipal budget. But, he said, the recent negotiations have been reopened due to the Paid Family Medical Leave law.

At the same time, the city has seen staffing shortfalls in several departments, and is attempting to address the issue with higher pay and adjusted schedules. The council approved higher wages for Public Works employees after the department had 14 vacancies. It also approved a permanent four-day workweek for City Hall employees.

Nagine said he recognizes the increasing difficulty in attracting qualified staff for municipal roles, and he said specifically in policing, it has “created a crisis for both city budgets and department capabilities.”

“Police work is no longer a blue-collar job, it takes highly skilled professionals with extensive training to fill these positions, and much of the ‘on the job’ training of yesterday does not meet the expectations of the departments or the communities they serve,” he said. “There is no doubt that Lewiston leans heavily on its police force for public safety and quality-of-life concerns, and we need a committed, well-staffed department who excels at the job they are tasked with.”

The challenge, he said, is “how to pay for it and what we need more or less investment in to cover the upcoming budget shortfalls.”

The entry level wage for officers is at $30.78. The 10-year wage scale is $40.88.

According to the council memo, the proposed change would represent a total budget increase of $122,531.

Maine’s Paid Family Medical Leave law will provide up to 12 weeks of paid leave for family leave, medical leave, or to deal with the transition of a family member’s pending military deployment or stay safe after abuse or violence.

For calendar years 2025-27, the joint contribution rate for employers and employees is set at either 0.5% or 1% of wages, based on the size of the employer, with no more than 0.5% from the employee. Employers with 15 or more employees will contribute 1% of wages and may deduct up to half of the contribution from the employees’ wages.