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Friday, February 10, 2012
Talks go downhill for firefighters' union, city managers
by Kathleen Haley, published on June 18, 2009 at 9:27 PM
Storyline: City Budget
Labor negotiations between the firefighters’ union and the city have gone downhill fast.
The firefighters’ union, Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522, sent out press releases to media outlets Wednesday that said the union was going to “explore legal options” in its dispute with city management.
The firefighters and city managers are engaging in controversial negotiations because city officials are planning to lay off firefighters if the union does not make concessions. Firefighter and union spokesman Chris Harvey said Tuesday that 41 firefighters may lose their jobs. The City Council approved its budget Tuesday, closing a gap of more than $43 million.
“We now must explore all legal and other options to ensure that firefighters are treated fairly in this process and public safety is protected,” Harvey said in a press release.
Responding to the union’s claim that it may examine legal options, acting city spokeswoman Wendy Klock-Johnson said that a lawsuit has not been submitted to the city. She said she couldn’t comment on a possible lawsuit until she sees it.
Details about the options the firefighters may pursue were not available at press time. Local 522 spokeswoman Robin Swanson was not immediately available for comment Thursday afternoon.
Firefighters are upset that the City Council decided Tuesday to back out of a tentative deal in which firefighters would have been paid salary increases over a five-year period. The salary increases added up to a total of 11 percent by 2014, Harvey said Tuesday. In the deal, the city offered only one year of layoff protections, he added.
The union is angered that the City Council rejected the agreement while firefighters were voting on it, according to the press release. Firefighters also note that they first learned about the city’s rejection of the deal through the media.
The union is indicating that it may fight for the agreement the city rejected Tuesday. “Firefighters are sealing the results from this election to explore legal options that would ensure that the city uphold the agreed-upon contract,” according to the statement.
Union members voted down an earlier deal with city management June 5.
Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.
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beerzie
June 19, 2009 | 9:14 AM
These guys are totally spoiled; their benefits and pay are more than generous. The rest of the country is taking salary cuts and enduring furloughs to keep their companies and civic agencies afloat and reduce layoffs, and these guys are insisting on pay raises despite the fact that it will result in layoffs. I guess they think they are above shared sacrifice? Bad job, guys.
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Oracle
June 19, 2009 | 10:10 AM
Spoiled is too polite a term - they're selfish beyond belief. Layoff dozens of them and hire new firefighters for less money and benefits. There are plenty of unemployed able-bodied men and women who would love to have a firefighter job at reduced pay. It's still going to be a gravy job. The city should stand firm and say NO to these union parasites!!
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thsas
June 20, 2009 | 2:53 PM
This is what happens when an organization has no competition. They are not measured by the yeardstick of be effectiveness on all lines of the P and L, because they do not have one.
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Jacob
June 23, 2009 | 4:32 PM
If you did your homework, you would know that the Union stated they wanted to not take the raise for protection of having no lay offs for at least 2 1/2 yrs and the City wouldn't budge, instead allow a pay raise for them with very limited protection. Sacramento City Fire Fighters are the lowest payed in the region and the hardest working in the region.
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