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Date Posted: 15:23:02 01/06/11 Thu
Author: facts
Subject: the truth

City, firefighters strike deal
January 5th, 2011Leave a commentGo to comments
An 18-month-long negotiation between Local 589 of the International Association of Fire Fighters and the city administration has culminated with a proposed contract that will save 12 firefighter jobs, but at a hefty cost to union membership.

The contract, which is to expire on Dec. 31, 2014, must be approved by the membership of Local 589 and by the City Council before it becomes official. It has been forwarded to members of the City Council, which is expected to discuss it Thursday night at a work session and, if it meets with the approval of the council, could be approved at the council’s Jan. 10 meeting.

Acting City Manager Rick Herbek chronicled the negotiations as a marathon, beginning under City Manager Jean-Ann McGrane’s leadership, continuing through Acting City Manager Dwight Douglas and concluding under Herbek.

“These have been difficult negotiations,” Herbek said, “because everyone knew how bad the budget was for 2010 … and then we had to do the 2011 budget.

“As you all know, that required a hefty property tax increase along with 59 layoffs or cutbacks in people, a combination of those who took advantage of the early retirement program and layoffs that we needed to make in order to have a structurally balanced budget.”

Herbek pointed to efforts firefighters have been attempting to make to improve the overall fire service in the city, including increased productivity, additional functions they could provide and overall improvements in how the department operates.

One of the key elements of the agreement is savings in overtime, Herbek said.

“We have brought the cost of overtime way down in this contract,” he said.

Herbek said that he signed a stipulation of agreement with Local 589 Monday. That agreement was also signed by City Comptroller Cheryl Gross for the city and Tim Hager for Local 589, Herbek said.

Tim Hager, newly elected president of Local 589, indicated the proposal will go before his union’s membership in the near future. Hager and Local 589 Vice President Rick LoCicero took over leadership of the union Jan. 1 after running unopposed for their positions. They replaced long-time Local 589 President Ed Diller and Vice President Sammy Contes.

Diller and Contes chose to retire rather than run again, Hager said.

The agreement, which saves the city the $1.1 million it had sought from Local 589, was termed a “win-win” for both sides by Herbek.

The city is desperate for cost savings after its taxpayers were rocked with a 71 percent tax increase as the result of the 2011 budget. Firefighters were equally stressed to find a way to save the jobs of 12 firefighters that had been scheduled for layoffs as a part of the city’s staff cuts.

The agreement represents deep sacrifice on the part of Local 589’s members. Provisions of the agreement include:

No salary increase for 2010;
- 5 percent salary rollbacks effective Jan. 1, 2011 through July 1, 2013;
- 2 percent salary rollbacks (remaining 3 percent of the 5 percent cuts returned) effective Jan. 1, 2014 through Dec. 31, 2014;
- A salary step freeze Jan. 1, 2011 through Dec. 31, 2012;
- A 10 percent reduction in starting salary and creation of a new salary step. It will now take seven years to reach maximum pay instead of the current six years. This portion of the agreement becomes permanent;
- A 10 percent health care premium contribution for new hires for the term of the employment (permanent);
- A change in vacation scheduling that will result in an estimated $150,000 annual savings to the city (permanent);
- Scheduling adjustments that will save the city an estimated $800,000 over the next two years. This includes a $200,000 change in overtime calculations and $300,000 in reduction in HR time each year for 2010 and 2011;
- The Fire Department will go to a 24-hour manning schedule (instead of alternating 9- and 15-hour shifts) during a 24-month evaluation period. Beginning Jan. 13 firefighters will work 24 hours on and 72 hours off, saving the city overtime;
- A joint Labor/Management Committee will review overtime usage each quarter;
- There will be a reduction in the number of paid holidays from 13 to 10.

Benefits that will accrue to Local 589:
- A no-layoff clause that continues until Dec. 31, 2014;
- Minimum staff strength of 10 firefighters and officers per shift, continuing until Dec. 31, 2014;
- Members with 18 years or more service will accrue an additional week of vacation time;
- There will be a $300 increase in longevity pay effective Jan. 1, 2011;
- There will be a $500 increase in longevity effective Dec. 31, 2014;
- A 5 percent salary increase effective Dec. 31, 2014.

The year-by-year effect for 589 members is:
- 2010: a zero salary increase;
- 2011: a 5 percent pay reduction;
- 2012: continued 5 percent pay reduction;
- 2013: (January-June minus 2 ˝ percent);
- 2013: (July-December plus 2 percent);
- January 2014: plus 3 percent;
- Dec. 31, 2014: plus 5 percent;
- There is no accrual of back pay.

Overall result for Local 589 members over 5 years: minus 2 ˝ percent.

Asked how the city will cope with salary increases at the end of the agreement, Chief Michael Vatter said that he anticipates that retirements over the next several years will lead to savings for the city.

By ALLAN GAUL
agaul@tcnewspapers.com

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