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Boardman firefighters to get raises
BOARDMAN
Township firefighters will get a wage increase of $1,250 per year for three years after a conciliator ruled in favor of the firefighters union on wages for a new contract with the township.
The township and the International Association of Firefighters Local 1176 went to binding conciliation earlier this month after they failed to reach an agreement on a new contract through collective bargaining or fact-finding.
Wages were the only issue decided by the conciliator.
“Based on the evidence, it appears Boardman can afford the increase proposed by the IAFF. That proposal is fair and consistent with settlements awarded to similar jurisdictions and consistent with other bargaining units within Boardman,” said Conciliator Gregory Levelle in his ruling, citing the general-fund balance of more than $5 million as one reason the township can afford the increase.
Government officials say the wage increase for firefighters will be a financial challenge for the township.
“We need to find out where we’re going to come up with those dollars,” said Trustee Tom Costello. “We’re hoping it doesn’t cost people, but that’s what we’re going to have to take a look at.”
Harry Wolfe, president of the local union chapter, said layoffs would be “criminal” on the part of the township.
“They have the money. The arbitrator wouldn’t have awarded the raise if they didn’t,” he said.
Costello said the fiscal office is in the process of determining how much the new contract will cost the township.
“We’re going to have to appropriate some additional funds by the end of year,” said Fiscal Officer William Leicht.
The conciliator’s ruling is the same as the opinion reached by fact finder Michelle Miller-Kotula in September, which the township rejected.
After fact-finding, the township proposed a $1,250 bonus in the first and last years of the contract, and a $1,250 wage increase in the second year.
Wolfe said the union would not accept the township’s proposal because the fire department has been operating under pay freezes since 2008 as well as a restructured pay scale with lower wage rates for firefighters hired since 2011.
The wage increase amounts to a raise of about 5 percent for entry-level firefighters; about 2 percent for senior firefighters, lieutenants and captains of three years; and about 1.8 percent for an assistant chief of three years.
Under the terms of the new contract, salaries will range between $26,750 and 58,547 for firefighters with one to 22 years of experience. Lieutenants will make an annual salary between $56,833 and $58,570, depending on how many years they have held the rank. Captains will make between $61,776 and $63,648, depending on years in the rank; and assistant chiefs will make an annual salary between $67,787 and $69,844.
Wolfe said he believes the new wage agreement is more than fair.
“I don’t think we robbed the bank, and I surely don’t think we got more than we deserved,” he said.
“It gives us a raise after six years,” he said. “It still doesn’t bring us back to the wages we had to give back. And we’ve almost tripled our health-care co-pay, and out-of-pocket expenses have increased.”
Wolfe said the fire department saves, and will continue to save, the township money because firefighters hired in the last three years are on a lower wage scale, and because as many as seven people will retire in the next three years, which the union claims will save the township $50,000 per firefighter.
The terms of the new three-year contract will be retroactive to March 1, 2014, as the old contract expired at the end of February.
Fire Chief Mark Pitzer declined to comment.