Officials approve pact with full-time firefighters

By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
STRUTHERS -- City council has unanimously approved a new three-year work agreement that gives the city's full-time firefighters 2-percent and 21/2-percent raises in the second and third years of the pact.
There is no pay increase in the first year of the contract, which is effective Nov. 1 and runs through Oct. 31, 2008. The contract will cost the city an estimated extra $35,000 a year, according to Mayor Daniel Mamula.
The city's nine full-time firefighters are represented by International Association of Firefighters Local 1910. The city also has 25 part-time firefighters who are not covered by the contract passed Monday.
The annual pay of full-time nonprobationary firefighters will increase from $38,134 to $39,869 effective Nov. 1, 2007. The yearly wage for firefighters still in their one-year probationary period will increase from $32,175 to $33,638 in the third year of the contract.
Another new cost item for the city is a $600 annual bonus for achieving annual minimum performance standards. However, failure to pass the performance standards three times can result in a firefighter being placed on sick leave. Once the sick leave is exhausted, the firefighter is subject to dismissal, Mamula said.
For all three years, firefighters will continue to contribute toward the cost of their insurance. They will pay $50 a month, if the monthly premium doesn't exceed $1,000.
Crunching some numbers
In 2006, a City Health Insurance Committee will institute measures to ensure that the total family insurance premium does not exceed $1,000 a month.
In 2007, if the cost of a family policy falls between $1,000 and $1,100 a month, firefighters will contribute 6 percent of the monthly premium not to exceed $65.
For 2008, if the premium is between $1,000 and $1,100, the employee will contribute 6 percent not to exceed $65; and if it is between $1,100 and $1,200, the employees will contribute up to $75 a month.
Benefits for full-time firefighters that did not change include Up to $500 a year for attending department training sessions and a $500 annual uniform allowance.
Full-time firefighters also receive annual longevity pay of $2.75 per month beginning with the first month of the sixth year. The pay ranges from $165 the first year to $825 for the 26th year, according to the pact.
alcorn@vindy.com