Tue Mar 16 2010
by Amanda Harnocz
Reporter
Tallmadge -- The city will continue contract negotiations with the firefighters union, but it has reached a tentative agreement with the Teamsters and the police union has agreed to the 2010 contract, which includes pay freezes and employee contributions for health care.
Officer Jeremy McGee, police union president, said the 22-member union voted Dec. 9 to accept the one-year contract. City Council approved entering into a contract with the FOP during its Dec. 10 meeting.
Months ago, Mayor Christopher Grimm proposed a hiring freeze, a pay freeze and contributions into health care by union and non-union employees in anticipation of the drop in income tax dollars expected in 2010.
Finance Director Jill Stritch expects the city to receive $6.7 million in income tax collections in 2010, which is 8 percent less than from this year's expected collections $7.3 million.
According to Director of Administration Dr. Tom Passcarella, the citywide pay freeze will save about $240,000, and contributions to health care -- $30 for a family per pay period, $20 double, $10 single -- will generate $56,000.
Council approved the stipulations for non-union city employees a month ago, and recently approved to enter into a one-year agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 436, union for the street, water and city garage employees.
Council approved entering into a contract with the Teamsters during its Nov. 12 meeting, but is still waiting for the union to vote and accept the contract, said Public Service Director Dave Kline.
The firefighters' union, IAFF 2764, does not yet have an agreement with the city, according to union President Mike Passarelli and Grimm.
The mayor said the firefighters have agreed to the pay freeze and the health care costs, but not about how to schedule vacations.
"We continue to have ongoing negotiations," said Passarelli. "But have no agreement yet."
Grimm said not having a contract agreed on by 2010 "is not a problem" but he "hopes it gets resolved."
Because the firefighters cannot go on strike, the disagreement could possibly be settled through arbitration if an agreement cannot be reached, said Grimm.
"I just don't see this coming to a resolution by the end of the year," he said during the Dec. 7 Council meeting.
If an agreement isn't reached before the new year, Grimm said the firefighters still won't get a pay raise because they would be working on their current, extended contract.
Grimm said all of the union contracts are being negotiated for one year and by the end of 2010, "we'll see what happens with income tax. If there is serious growth, we'll probably negotiate a full, three-year maximum contract."
E-mail: aharnocz@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-686-3911
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