Officers Call in Sick Over Stalled Negotiations

More than a dozen Hawthorne police officers called in sick with headaches Tuesday in a labor action over stalled contract negotiations.

The officers, who have been working without a contract for 11 months, had asked for a 4% raise, said Hawthorne Mayor Betty Ainsworth. But city officials have made no counteroffer, saying that there is no money in the budget for raises, Ainsworth said. “I think they felt nobody was listening,” Ainsworth said. “I’m just sorry that they had to go this far without checking with us again.”

No officials of the Hawthorne Police Officers Assn. could be reached. Police Chief Stephen R. Port said the absent officers’ duties would be filled by supervisors and civilian officers.