The city announced that it had reached a “tentative” collective bargaining agreement with the Federal Way Police Department guild during the city council’s Nov. 6 meeting.

City attorney Pat Richardson provided the details on the agreement, saying she hoped the two sides would be able to reach consensus regarding health care providers and a few other issues.

The last full agreement was in 2007-08, she said. There have been two extensions, and the current contract expired Dec. 31, 2011. Richardson said the proposal before the council is a little unusual, in that the guild has not ratified it yet.

“We will receive notice of that vote, I believe, on Thursday (November 8),” she said. “The timing is what the issue is here, in order to notify the health insurance providers.”

Richardson outlined the main points of the tentative agreement:

• A switch in health care providers would be effective Jan. 1, 2013.

• Anticipated savings from lower premiums due to that changeover would be put toward officer wages

• The city will pay 100 percent of accrued sick leave to an officer’s family, in the event of death in the line of duty

• The city will pay 25 percent of accrued sick leave upon retirement into the law enforcement retirement fund

• Officers will be eligible to accrue 204 vacation hours annually for 20 years of service, which is consistent with other city employees

• The city will waive a $15 monthly payment for dental insurance

“As I said, we’re asking for conditional approval of the tentative agreement. The guild will notify the city on November 8 if (the agreement) has been ratified. And, if so, we will get the notification done to the health insurance provider so we can make it effective for 2013,” Richardson said.

The council unanimously approved the tentative agreement. The FWPD guild’s decision was unavailable at press time.