‘Movement’ in Warren talks negates need for more fire furloughs

By Jordan Cohen

The city and its six unions plan a roundtable session to discuss finances.

WARREN — The city safety service director and the firefighters union president announced “positive movement” in their ongoing discussions on concessions. The announcement has forestalled additional furloughs in the fire department for the time being.

“We have an agreement to forgo any layoffs, but we’ll be discussing this issue later,” said Doug Franklin, safety services director.

In addition, Franklin announced Thursday a first-ever joint meeting of delegates from all six city unions to discuss the city’s financial plight. He expects to have the meeting early next week and will include managers in the discussions.

“This is the first time we’ve done this. It’s new ground,” Franklin said.

The issue came to a head last week when the city warned the union of at least 15 additional layoffs in the fire department, possibly by early June, unless some cost-cutting agreements could be reached, particularly in health-care costs.

Earlier this year, the city laid off 11 firefighters, leaving the department with 64.

“This is the first step … a bridge between labor and management,” said Marc Titus, president of Firefighters Local 204, who appeared in the joint news conference with Franklin. “I feel we got on the same page, but we feel everyone has to work together.”

The city is trying to eliminate a $1.6 million deficit, more than $400,000 in the fire department. Franklin said earlier that funding from a federal stimulus grant would help eliminate the red ink along with reducing other costs, apparently in city-paid benefits.

“We have agreed to meet and come up with a plan,” Titus said. “It’s going to be a long process.”

Both men declined to divulge the specifics of the concessions being sought. Titus said he wanted to discuss the matter with union members.

“Our ultimate goal is to provide for the safety of our citizens,” the union leader said.

The city negotiates with six unions: three in the police department, two American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employee locals and Firefighters Local 204. There is currently no deadline for the “joint delegate meeting” to resolve the financial issues.

Titus said he does not envision the unions working against one another when the joint meeting occurs.

“We don’t want to put people against people and union against union,” Titus said. “We have to fix the city as a whole.”