PILLAR: Safe
AGENDA DATE: February 25, 2026
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): N/A
DEPARTMENT: City Manager’s Office
PRIORITY: N/A
______________________________________________________________________
SUBJECT
Title
Authorize (1) the ratification of a meet and confer agreement between the City of Dallas and the Dallas Black Firefighters Association, Dallas Hispanic Fire Fighters Association, Dallas Fire Fighters Association, Black Police Association of Greater Dallas, National Latino Law Enforcement Organization, and the Dallas Police Association (collectively, the Meet and Confer Team); and (2) the City Manager to execute the agreement, approved as to form by the City Attorney, to be effective February 25, 2026 through September 30, 2026 - Not to exceed $75,561,221.00 - Financing: General Fund (subject to annual appropriations)
Body
BACKGROUND
Chapter 147 of the Texas Local Government Code, as amended, authorizes police and fire sworn employee groups to meet with designated city management teams to discuss employment matters such as wages, benefits, and working conditions.
This process, called "meet and confer", provides an opportunity for police and fire sworn employee groups and city management to reach an agreement on important employment issues. Unlike collective bargaining, meet and confer provides an opportunity, not a requirement, for the city to reach an agreement with its police and fire sworn employee groups.
Under Chapter 147 of the Texas Local Government Code, as amended, a meet and confer agreement must be in writing and ratified through a voting process by all police officers and firefighters, as defined in Chapter 147 of the Local Government Code, as amended (Officers), and the City Council. The City’s current meet and confer agreement states that the agreement shall remain in effect until September 30, 2025, or until it is superseded by a new agreement, provided however, that in no event shall the agreement continue in effect after March 31, 2026. Over the past few months, staff has been meeting with the Meet and Confer Team to negotiate the terms of a new agreement on a range of issues, including wages and working conditions. The parties have reached consensus on the terms for a new agreement.
The agreement maintains a market-based pay structure based on a survey of comparator cities with discretionary enhancements to continue promoting the recruitment and retention of Officers. Step pay adjustments, as well as annual market-based pay adjustments, are provided for fiscal year 2025-2026. Eligible Officers who had a step eligibility date between October 1, 2025, and the ratification date will receive a retroactive step pay adjustment, as set forth in the agreement. All Officers will receive a retroactive market-based pay adjustment for the period between the first full pay period following January 1, 2026, (or their hire date, if an Officer was hired after January 1, 2026) and the ratification date.
Additional changes for this Agreement effective February 25, 2026, through September 30, 2026, include:
• Moving the completion date for the salary survey from March 31st to June 1st for the relevant fiscal year;
• Increasing Education Incentive Pay for Officers with a qualifying master’s degree or higher to $400.00 per month from $300.00 per month;
• Allowing the qualifying lateral entry Officers to be placed at the step of the salary schedule that includes their full years of qualifying experience from other relevant agencies or departments, rather than the previous limitation of five years of qualifying experience;
• Moving the Dallas Police Department’s procedures for police officers permanently restricted from the performance of patrol functions from programs that cannot be changed during the term of the Agreement to programs that can be changed after notice to the applicable employee groups and a meeting, if requested.
Upon ratification by the Officers, the 2025-2026 agreement will be presented to the City Council on February 25, 2026. It is recommended that the City Council approve the agreement and authorize the City Manager to enter into the agreement.
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS)
On February 24, 2010, the City Council authorized the initial recognition of the 2010 Police and Fire Meet and Confer Team, and authorized establishment of a management meet and confer team, by Resolution No. 10-0534.
The City Council ratified and authorized Meet and Confer Agreements in the following years:
• September 1, 2010 - for three years by Resolution No. 10-2259
• December 11, 2013 - for three years by Resolution No. 13-2060
• December 14, 2016 - for three years by Resolution No. 16-2002
• December 12, 2018 - the 2016 Agreement was amended to incorporate additional pay by Resolution No. 16-2002
• September 18, 2019 - for three years by Resolution No. 19-1460
• October 26, 2022 - for three years by Resolution No. 22-1626
FISCAL INFORMATION
|
Fund |
FY 2026 |
FY 2027 |
Future Years |
|
General Fund |
$52,800,905.00 |
$22,760,316.00 |
$0.00 |
*FY 2026-27 reflects the full-year costs of step and market changes that occurred in FY 2025-26 (October 1, 2025-September 30, 2026). This amount does not reflect cost assumptions of a future agreement.