AUSTINTOWN Part-time firefighters win retroactive raise

The part-timers could get additional raises under their new contract.
By IAN HILL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- Township trustees have given part-time firefighters a 3 percent raise retroactive to 2002 as part of negotiations for the firefighters' first union contract.
Because of the raises, firefighters will be paid between $9.18 and $11.29 an hour, depending on their rank, for responding to calls beginning in 2002 through this year. The raise also calls for all part-time firefighters, regardless of rank, to be paid $6.32 an hour for training beginning in 2002.
Township Administrator Michael Dockry said the township will review its records to figure out how much back pay it owes firefighters because of the raises. The cost of the raises to the township has yet to be determined, he said.
Walt Donitzen, shop steward for the part-time firefighters, estimated that the cost of the 3 percent raises would be less than $10,000. The firefighters are represented by Teamsters Local 377.
"We're not getting any more or any less than anyone else in the township," Donitzen said, noting that trustees also gave a 3 percent raise to the township's nonunion employees last year. "The whole thing, in a nutshell, is just being able to get a fair shake."
There are about 35 part-time firefighters working for the township.
Terms of pact
Trustees unanimously approved the raise after an executive session at their meeting Monday night. Dockry noted that the trustees and firefighters agreed to the raises as part of contract negotiations that began in 2002.
The new contract is expected to cover 2003 to 2005, which would coincide with the contract for full-time firefighters. Part-timers could receive additional raises under the contract.
Township officials also are negotiating for contracts with the township's road workers and secretaries, and the township's park department unionized earlier this year and is represented by the Teamsters.
All but eight of the township's 98 full-time employees are members of unions.
Part-time firefighters decided to unionize in 2002 because they thought the township favored full-time firefighters over part-time firefighters, even though all firefighters perform the same duties, Donitzen said. The part-timers also wanted trustees to put their hiring policy for part-timers in writing, he said.
Donitzen added that the part-timers had agreed to take pay cuts to help the township in the past.
Financial situation
Dockry noted that despite the township's financial problems, money was available to be included in the township's 2004 budget for the raises. The township ended last year with a deficit because of increases in the cost of insurance, workers' compensation and wages, and decreases in revenue. It also was still feeling the financial effects of an unexpected $460,000 tax refund it had to pay to Phar-Mor in late 2002.
Trustees have laid off several employees and made other cuts to save money. They're also asking residents to approve a 2.5-mill levy March 2 to raise $1.4 million in additional revenue for police.
Township Clerk Michael Kurish has predicted the township will end this year barely in the black, in part because of the layoffs and budget cuts.
hill@vindy.com