Boardman firefighters pass change; OK 2-year pay freeze

Township trustees previously approved the contract change.

Staff Report

BOARDMAN — Members of the union representing township firefighters passed a contract addendum calling for a two-year pay freeze and increasing the members’ health-care contribution.

Harry Wolfe, president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 1176, said the change passed by a 2-to-1 margin Tuesday night.

Trustees unanimously passed the change at a meeting earlier this week.

The change continues firefighters’ 2008 salary through March 2011 when the revised pact expires. The original pact called for a 2.5 percent increase in 2009 and expiration in March 2010. The addendum eliminates the 2.5 percent increase for 2009 and adds another year also with no pay increase.

The annual salary ranges from $35,818 for an entry-level firefighter to $68,595 for assistant chiefs.

The addendum also immediately increases, from 7.5 percent to 10 percent uncapped, the premium cost of the firefighters’ health insurance contribution. The previous pact, approved in January, called for the premium contribution to increase to 10 percent April 2009.

The total cost of health care varies from $5,000 for an employee with a single plan to $15,000 per year for those on a family plan. The 10 percent employee contribution is based on that amount.

The change settles two grievances filed by the union. The township will pay the health-care contribution for nine firefighters laid off in February. The contract change also reinstitutes a minimum-manning provision calling for eight firefighters per shift.