Careers & Education

OH Firefighters' Contract Heads to Conciliation

Feb. 6, 2019

Unless a settlement is reached first, the move will result in a binding decision concerning the Alliance firefighters' contract, a lawyer representing the firefighters union said.

By Malcolm Hall

Source The Repository, Canton, Ohio

ALLIANCE—A new labor contract for city firefighters is heading for conciliation.

International Association of Fire Fighters Local 480 members recently rejected a state fact finder's report, which amounted to a proposed labor contract. City Council did not take a vote on the same report.

"The fact finder report does not become the terms of the collective bargaining agreement if either party rejects it," said attorney Ryan Lemmerbrock of Cleveland, who is representing the firefighters' union. "We proceed into conciliation for a binding decision unless the parties reach a settlement prior to that. We have not selected a conciliator yet."

Lemmerbrock declined to comment on issues coming between the bargaining unit and city officials.

However, a written statement from the office of Mayor Alan Andreani says the union members requested pay increases of six percent in each of the first two years of the proposed three-year contract and seven percent in the third year. The fact finder, however, recommended pay raises of one percent in the first year and two percent for the second and third years.

The mayor's statement mentions unions representing other municipal employees recently have agreed to wage increases of two percent or one percent. Alliance's municipal financial status is in state fiscal caution.

The firefighters are seeking increases to their base pay plus financial compensation for being certified to perform emergency medical service, explained city Safety-Service Director Michael Dreger.

"They are not the first union that ask for more than what they are getting," Dreger said "The fact finder gave one concession. That concession was that sick time could not be counted toward overtime. We didn't want sick time to count towards 40 hours (work week)."

The firefighters are working under conditions of their most recent contract which expired June 30, 2018.

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