Batters

Petitioners Everett Batters, Thomas Ponton, Jacob Mitchell, William Taylor, John Hassinger and Robert Morse, firemen employed by respondent City of Santa Monica, sought a writ of mandate in the superior court to compel respondent city to postpone their respective disability retirement dates and to pay them unused and accumulated sick leave prior to the dates fixed for their disability retirements due to work-related permanent disabilities. The trial court denied the relief sought by petitioners and they have appealed from that judgment. We affirm the judgment.

I

The Factual and Procedural History

Petitioners were employed by respondent city in its fire department. Petitioner Batters commenced his duties on April 1, 1948, and worked continuously for the city thereafter; the remainder of the petitioners also have many years of service. All the petitioners have become permanently disabled due to work-related injuries and illnesses. Petitioners Batters, Mitchell and Taylor suffer from various forms of heart disease, including hypertension; Ponton suffers from pulmonary disease; Has-singer has a degenerative condition in his right knee while Morse has been diagnosed as…