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Economic Crisis
News
June 2009
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The economy is affecting IAFF members throughout this union through staffing
reductions, station closures, cost shifting and wage concessions as local
governments lose revenue. To help IAFF members get a clearer understanding of
the depth of the financial crisis, the effect it's having at every level of the
economy -- including local and state budgets -- the IAFF has prepared the
following summaries of and links to "economic crisis" news articles related to
cuts in state and local budgets, fire fighter staffing, health care benefits,
compensation, pension plans and other areas as a result of the economic
downturn.
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Bay City lays off six firefighters
Up North Live (06/30/09)
The evening started with last
ditch comments from the public, hoping for a miracle. Then the
special Bay City Commission meeting considered eleventh hour
measures to save as many as two of the six fire fighter jobs on the
line, with an amendment sponsored by Sixth Ward Commissioner John
Davidson. That amendment failed.
Following a heated exchange between Commissioners Kellie Snyder and
Marie Kurzer over which fire stations should face periodic closures,
the $23,134,034 budget for 2009/2010 was passed. The vote was six to
three in favor. The commission faced a legal deadline, requiring the
city to pass a balanced budget before the upcoming fiscal year. Bay
City firefighter’s union president Kurt Wagner said there will be
consequences of not having enough staff. “Things happen when they
are not supposed to happen,” Wagner said, immediately following the
meeting. “This coming weekend is the 4th (of July). How many people
are going to be in this town?” he said, referencing the city’s
multiple-night fireworks show that draws thousands from around
Mid-Michigan to both sides of the Saginaw River.
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Lawrence Fire Department could lay off firefighters, close stations
7 News Boston
(06/29/09)
Budget problems could force the
City of Lawrence to lay off more than a dozen fire fighters and
close two fire stations. Lawrence Fire Chief Peter Takvorian said
this move will put residents at risk, but with the department facing
a $1.6 million deficit, it might be the only answer. The chief said
the department lost between $7 and $10 million in state aid.
Currently, the department has temporarily shut down a few stations,
but the stations on Tower and Prospect Hills would close
permanently. Additionally, 14 fire fighters would be laid off to
make up for the shortfall.
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Flint Firefighters Blame Budget Cuts for a Disastrous Fire-Rescue
Operation
Injury Board (06/27/09)
Flint is no stranger to strife,
both in the past and in the present. How could we forget the impact
the closing of the General Motors plants had on the city’s
population back in the 80s? In recent years, the economic crisis has
had a similar effect with cuts in the fire fighting department,
including layoffs for 22 fire fighters and closures of two fire
stations. Three Flint fire fighters recently witnessed how
devastating of an impact these cutbacks had on the victims of a
local house fire, when the three fire fighters were forced to fight
the fire without adequate help or enough equipment.
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S.F. supes vote to cut Fire Dept. budget $6 million
San Francisco Chronicle (06/26/09)
San Francisco's fire chief
warned of station closures -- and delayed response times for fire
engines and ambulances -- as a Board of Supervisors committee voted
to strip $6 million out of the department's budget.
The supervisors who voted for the reduction, however, said they're
confident the agency, which has an annual budget of about $280
million, can make the cuts without closing any stations or
threatening public safety. About $1 million in savings has already
been identified by the chief through a maintenance agreement with
the city's water agency, and supervisors said they think that amount
could increase to $2.7 million -- leaving about $3.3 million that
still needs to be found. By cutting $6 million from next year's
budget, the committee made good on a promise to reduce public safety
funding to stem cuts to health and human services proposed by Mayor
Gavin Newsom. And while the board's liberal wing has been locked in
a months long battle with the powerful firefighters' union over
anticipated public safety cuts, the supervisors only took
one-quarter of the $24 million they had threatened to remove from
the fire department's budget earlier this month.
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Mansfield to lay off 20 firefighters
Mansfield News Journal (06/26/09)
The city’s cost-cutting has
further slashed into safety forces. Union officials said that 20
fire fighters will be laid off, and at least one fire station
closed. Seven or eight fire captains could be reduced in rank,
although City Council would have to agree to that measure. “We’re
losing 25 percent of our department,” International Association of
Firefighters Local 266 president Phil Dollish said. Fire Chief John
C. Harsch said the city will lose at least half of its paramedics.
“They are all the people at the bottom in seniority.”
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City
Employees To Take Furloughs Or Pay Cut
KTUL Tulsa (06/25/09)
Tulsa union leaders spent the
last several days working out a plan that would save the city money
and save jobs. Tulsa police, fire and general city workers have
agreed to take eight furlough days. Those eight furlough days boil
down to 64 hours of pay. That's what the city needs from every
employee whether it's in the form of unpaid time off, or just
working less. The announcement was made at a special press
conference and it was a momentous occasion, the city's three unions,
working day and night, to come together on a plan to cope with
cutbacks. Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor said, "Everyone is coming to the
table and is taking essentially a 3.1 percent reduction in the money
that they will have in their pocket."
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City Council
Agrees To $20 Million In Budget Cuts
WLWT Cincinnati (06/24/09)
The City Council approved a plan
to cut $20 million from the $371 budget by a 5-4 vote. The police
and fire departments were asked to cut their budgets by requiring
officers and fire fighters to take six unpaid days off or face job
cuts. Those departments must now decide how to make those mandated
cuts, although union representatives said they could not be
accomplished through furloughs. "The city manager made it very clear
that 'Even if you give up these six days of unpaid leave, we won't
guarantee we're not going to lay off,'" said Kathy Harrell, police
union president. "So there's no guarantee there wont be a layoff if
they get these days off."
The firefighters' union said that its members are unhappy that the
fire chief's office had agreed to $1.2 million in cuts, and union
president Marc Monahan said that the city's proposed six-day unpaid
furloughs, combined with staffing regulations, would force some fire
fighters to work for free. "I think I can pretty much safely say our
guys aren't going to be coming in and working for free," he said.
"We're not volunteer firefighters." If the firefighters' and police
unions won't accept furloughs, the city officials said they must
find other ways to save money.
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Fire rescue may lose jobs
The Pasco Tribune (06/24/09)
As next year's county budget
starts to take shape, it appears Pasco County's fire and rescue
staff will have to stretch to protect county residents. County
officials are considering a plan to shrink the ranks of fire
fighters and emergency medical technicians to save money next year.
But they say they have no plans to close any of the county's 26 fire
stations. "We knew the question would come up somewhere along the
line," said Dan Johnson, the assistant county administrator who
oversees fire and rescue. "To shut down a station would be the very
last thing we would want to do. We do not believe there's a need."
The county spent the past few years building new fire stations from
rural Blanton in northeast Pasco to rapidly urbanizing areas along
State Road 54. In a budget workshop, county officials recommended
commissioners cut 68 positions -- about 16 percent of the fire and
rescue staff. About a third of those positions are vacant.
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Promises Not Kept - Up To 68 Firefighters To Be Laid Off
Firefighter Hourly (06/23/09)
Sixty-eight fire fighters in
Sacramento will be laid off next month after city officials decided
not to honor the deal fire fighters had sought. The fire fighters
will be laid off as of July 2, 2009. Fire fighters worked hard to
make cuts to their salaries in hopes that future benefits could be
preserved. It appeared as though certain council members were going
along with it but at the last minute the city voted against the good
faith effort. Fire fighters are angry, denouncing the move while
wondering who among Sacramento City Council actually worked to help
fire fighters. Many thought the deal was done only to discover
council was dealing in bottom line numbers rather than safety and
survival.
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Holland firefighters decline pay raise
Wood TV 8 (06/18/09)
The Holland fire fighters have
decided to refuse a 1 percent cost-of-living increase they will be
due July 1. Instead, they will give back another half-percent of
their pay. The move is not part of any negotiation, said Brendt
Sheridan, president of the Holland Professional Firefighters Union.
The department just wants to help the city with its budget and
prevent any cuts to the number of fire fighters on the job.
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Warren, firefighters reach deal to avert 18 more layoffs
Windy.com (06/18/09)
City officials and union
representatives for the Warren Fire Department reached a tentative
agreement to avert the layoff of 18 more fire fighters July 3. That
deal must be approved by fire fighters. In a separate meeting,
representatives of all six unions representing city employees
tentatively agreed to begin paying a percentage of their health care
for the first time.Meanwhile, Gary Cicero, the city’s human
resources director, said the layoffs of five more police officers
and 11 other city employees appear certain, as no further
negotiations are scheduled on that front. The city laid off 20
police officers, 11 fire fighters and eight other city employees
January 1 to offset a $1.2 million budget shortfall.
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Firefighters propose wage freeze to help cash-strapped city
Journal Newspapers (06/18/09)
With a 2009-2010 budget in
place, officials in the City of Wayne have followed the philosophy:
hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Wayne City Council members
approved an $18 million budget for the coming fiscal year that
spelled out drastic staff cuts and discontinued programs. City
Manager John Zech said the cuts were necessary because the temporary
closure of the Ford Motor Michigan Truck plant and a drop in
property values combined to steal about $4 million from the city
revenue stream. "All things considered, there weren’t a whole lot of
choices,” said Zech. The Wayne Professional Firefighter’s
Association has tentatively offered to take a wage freeze for the
2009/2010 fiscal year, rather than the 3 percent salary increase
they are guaranteed through their contract, which expires next year.
English said that would save about $60,000. The only condition the
fire fighters put on the offer was that the funds go into the city
general fund. “I think they deserve a lot of credit,” said English.
“It works out great for both sides. It’s nice that we can continue
to have such a good relationship with our fire department.”
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Glendale firefighters give up benefits to help Glendale
AZ Central (06/18/09)
Glendale fire fighters agreed to
give up about $600,000 worth of benefits to help the city balance
its budget.
Members of the Glendale chapter of the United Phoenix Firefighters
Association overwhelmingly agreed to give up their uniform allowance
and city contributions to their retirement plans for fiscal year
2009-2010, said Fire Captain Joe Hester, a spokesman for the union.
City officials approached the firefighters' union several months ago
and asked them to forgo some salary or benefits to help offset
budget shortfalls, Hester said. "It's an attempt to possibly help
with overall city services and to help protect jobs," he said.
Glendale fire fighters have a unique understanding of how the
economy is hurting Glendale residents, Hester said. That's because
they are affected personally by foreclosures or job losses within
their own families, and have regular contact with the general public
and see firsthand how some are struggling, he said.
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Atascadero employees decide to skip cost-of-living pay raises
San Luis Obispo Tribune (06/18/09)
Atascadero police officers, fire
fighters and other city employees are voluntarily skipping
cost-of-living pay raises this year, in response to tight economic
times. Earlier this month, representatives of the Atascadero Police
Association, the Mid-Management/Professional Employees Association
and service employees union SEIU, Local 620, agreed to new one-year
contracts with zero salary or benefit increases. The Atascadero
Professional Firefighters Association also volunteered to defer the
4 percent pay raise union members were to receive next year, as well
as emergency call-out pay and other perks.
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City budget calls for 23 layoffs
Daily Pilot (06/17/09)
Costa Mesa passed a budget for
next year that steeply cuts spending — an 18 percent decrease from
this year’s budget — primarily by laying off city staff members,
cutting pay and benefits, offering early retirement incentives,
capping overtime pay and making up the rest with money the city has
in reserve. The City Council passed the budget 4 to 1, with
Councilman Eric Bever voting against it. Bever expressed concerns
that the budget relied, in large part, on cutting staff costs —
about $17-million worth, he estimated — through measures that
require pending negotiations with the unions representing the city’s
police, fire fighters and other staff members. “We have very little
in terms of fund balance left on hand and if this $17 million
doesn’t occur we’re going to be in a real bad way,” Bever said. The
main tenets of the budget were widely anticipated. The council
passed a 10-point plan recommending the proposed cuts earlier this
year to offset a projected $19-million deficit. It calls for laying
off 23 staff members (mostly from the police and fire departments)
to save $6.3 million, asking the remaining staff members to take a
5% pay cut to save $3.6 million, offering early-retirement
incentives to save $3.5 million and reducing overtime pay by $1
million.
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Firefighters reject wage freeze; 8 will be cut
The News Journal (06/17/09)
By a one-vote margin, Wilmington's firefighters' union rejected
the city's request to accept a wage freeze this year, meaning eight
fire fighters will be laid off July 1. The 58-to-57 vote by the
170-member union was held June 15. Firefighters' union President
Kevin Turner said the city could have cut other parts of the $145
million operating budget for the fiscal year that starts next month,
such as spending on festivals and parades, and the take-home vehicle
fleet for city employees. He also said it's not unusual for a
less-than-100-percent turnout for votes, even on crucial issues such
as contracts.
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Stamford police, fire union concessions approved
Norwalk Advocate (06/16/09)
City police and fire unions won
approval of concession agreements that will prevent layoffs for two
years. The Board of Representatives passed a last-minute deal struck
between the city administration and police 28 to 3. A similar
agreement for fire fighters passed 27 to 3. Both city unions would
have faced 20 layoffs each if city lawmakers had not passed the
contracts, city officials said. In the case of the fire union, the
city would also have been forced to leave five open positions
vacant. Fire union president Brendan Keatley called the decision "a
relief."
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Sacramento budget showdown centers again on firefighters
Sacramento Bee (06/16/09)
A showdown is brewing in
Sacramento City Hall over the city's historic deficit. And once
again, the city's fire fighters are at the center. The City Council
is scheduled to adopt the city's 2009-10 budget, which includes a $5
million cut to the fire department. That reduction is part of a set
of cuts aimed at solving a citywide deficit of $50 million. If the
cut to the fire department is approved, 50 fire fighters risk losing
their jobs. Complicating matters is a vote by the fire union
scheduled to begin just hours before the council hearing. That vote
will decide the fate of a tentative agreement between the city and
union to freeze fire fighter salaries for a year. The agreement, if
ratified, would circumvent the planned layoffs.
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Firefighters give up raises
Kokomo Perspective (06/12/09)
The fire fighters are trying to
extend an olive branch to the city administration with the hope that
Mayor Greg Goodnight might restore some of their laid-off members.
According to Firefighters Local 396 president Rick Daily, the union
has decided to give back the raises they won in contract arbitration
at the end of 2008. The sacrifice would be effective with the first
paycheck in July and would include the remainder of this year and
all of 2010. “We’re going to help out and do our part,” said Daily.
“We didn’t ask to go to arbitration. We didn’t file the impasse. We
feel like it was a raise we rightfully won, but we also know there
is a financial situation — a crisis — everywhere. Hopefully we can
get some people back to protect the city.” Daily explained that
there is a motive behind the unprompted concession. The recent
lay-off of 12 fire fighters spurred the union to attempt a number of
methods to convince the mayor to rescind the job cuts, from marches
and protests to the proposal for a committee of city leaders to meet
and attempt to resolve the issue. The offering of their raises is a
gesture the fire fighters hope prompts a favorable response. “I
guess you can call it a goodwill gesture, but we need our men and
women back on the job,” said Daily. “This is a public safety issue.
We have felt that way from the start. We’re giving back this raise,
and hopefully the mayor will bring some people back to work and help
us to help the community.”
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Cuts may be painful
Greeley Tribune (06/12/09)
As most governmental entities
and private businesses have learned, tightening the belt can be
painful. Now, the city of Greeley is trying to take up more than a
few notches as it seeks to eliminate nearly $4 million from its 2010
budget, on top of the already $1 million it has saved this year by
not granting raises, keeping positions vacant and saving on health
insurance premiums. Much like the state of Colorado, which wrestled
with eliminating more than $1 billion from its budget this year, the
city is looking at what to cut. Like with most government entities,
a large part of the city's budget — 73 percent — goes to salaries
and benefits for its employees. So any significant budget reduction
must include cuts in wages, benefits and/or employees. The city is
considering many options, including eliminating 2010 pay increases,
asking employees to take unpaid furloughs, cutting salaries,
eliminating 401(k) matching funds and increasing employee health
care contributions. Otto has also asked unions representing the
police and fire fighters to concede their negotiated raises.
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Reed campaigns for end to cop, firefighter furloughs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (06/11/09)
Atlanta mayoral candidate Kasim
Reed pushed City Hall to end furloughs for police officers and fire
fighters and took a verbal shot at another candidate who’s said she
won’t vote for a tax increase. “We’ve got a chance right now to do
something. We can start by ending the furloughs that have cut the
number of fire fighters who are on duty and the number of police who
patrol our streets every day,” said Reed, a Democratic state
senator, who is taking the unusual step of circulating a petition to
gather support for his position. Reed is even promoting the petition
through robocalls. Mayor Shirley Franklin late last year ordered
four-hour-a-week furloughs for city workers — including herself — to
keep the city’s books balanced. Many residents have pleaded for the
city to end the furloughs amid a rise in burglaries and auto thefts,
as well as some high-profile killings. Reed’s comments were made
outside Fire Station No. 7, which Franklin closed in July to balance
the budget. Reed said he wants to see the reopening of the station.
The mayor is proposing a tax increase of 3 mills, which equates to
about $240 for the average city homeowner, to end the furloughs. The
City Council is scheduled to vote on Franklin’s tax proposal June
29.
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Muncie mayor says another fire station must close
Muncie Star Press (06/11/09)
Muncie will be left with only
four working fire stations when 40 fire fighters are laid off next
week, Mayor Sharon McShurley acknowledged. "We are looking at
closing another station," the mayor said, as a result of needing to
cut $1 million from the Muncie Fire Department budget. The
department already closed Station No. 4, and will also close its
longtime downtown headquarters, which also houses Station No. 1, in
coming days. Fire Chief Sean Burcham had recommended that with 40
fewer fire fighters, his department could man only four stations and
five truck companies. City fire fighters called a press conference
to insist the public would be in jeopardy if manpower was reduced by
40, leaving as few as 16 fire fighters per shift. Firefighter Mike
Whited, president of Firefighters Local 1348, said under present
staffing, the Muncie Fire Department could have 14 fire fighters at
a fire scene within eight minutes, covering nearly 90 percent of
streets in the city limits. That response rate follows National Fire
Protection Association standards.
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Orlando Slashes Public Safety Budgets With $105 Million in the Bank
Orlando Weekly (06/11/09)
The city of Orlando is demanding
$4.3 million in concessions from fire fighters. Spread out across
the union’s 446 fire fighters, that’s about a 14 percent pay cut,
says Orland Local 1365 President Steve Clelland. The mayor has
repeatedly noted that these are tough times. Patching a $43 million
hole in a $345 million budget isn’t easy. But the situation isn’t
necessarily as dire as the city contends. Records show that the city
has nearly $105 million in its operating funds reserve, money set
aside to save the city from economic calamity.
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Reno firefighters avoid layoffs
Reno Gazette Journal (06/10/09)
Reno fire fighters agreed to
forego two pay raises in the next six months, preventing city
officials from laying off up to 64 public safety workers in 2009-10
and keeping open the Somersett fire station as the fire season
approaches. The announcement by Brad Jensen, president of Local 731
of the International Association of Fire Fighters, and Mayor Bob
Cashell came hours after the wives of fire fighters made emotional
appeals to the city council not to lay off any fire fighters. “These
families get to sleep tonight because they get to make mortgage
payments tomorrow,” Jensen said. The agreement still must be
approved by union members and the city council. The city had asked
unions, including those representing the fire and police
departments, to relinquish 2.1 percent raises over the next year to
save $4 million.
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Firefighters agree to wage freeze
Waterbury Republican American (06/10/09)
Torrington's fire fighters
signed a labor contract that will freeze salaries for the coming
budget year, two months after the agreement was negotiated. The
signing clears the way for Deputy Chief Jaye J. Giampaolo’s
retirement. He was awaiting signature of the contract so he could
benefit from increased pension benefits. He announced his retirement
two months ago, but was told retiring before the contract was signed
would void any chance of new benefits.
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More than 1,000 march on City Hall in support of effort to recover
laid-off firefighters
Kokomo Perspective (06/09/09)
A steady stream of men, women
and children in white T-shirts traveled to City Hall as the Kokomo
fire fighters hosted a “Walk for Public Safety.” The purpose of the
demonstration was to draw attention to the recent layoffs at the
Kokomo Fire Department, the elimination of the city’s ambulance
transport service and the alleged risk to public safety created by
these cuts. Local 396 Vice President Jeremy Shaw explained the
position of the union and noted that the cuts in service inside the
city have an impact on the larger community. “The fire fighters
acknowledge that the city, the state and the nation are facing tough
economic times,” said Shaw. “But public safety is not where you
start your cuts. We’re not pushing to shut down the senior citizens’
center. We’re not pushing for the pool to be closed. We just know
there are other avenues available to save money or make cuts before
you cut public safety." Tom Hanify, president of the Indiana chapter
of the International Association of Fire Fighters, also spoke the
crowd. He said that in 28 years of service, he never has witness
cuts to fire safety such as those that have occurred in Kokomo, and
he pledged that fire fighters across the state would lend their
support to this community to try to restore that which had been
lost.
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Fire Department Faces More Cuts
WLNS (06/09/09)
More cuts may be on the way for
the Leoni Township Fire Department. Just last month the department
slashed its full time staff from seven to three. Now that number may
go to zero. Leoni Township is facing a $323,000 budget deficit, and
to fill the hole, they're considering cutting their remaining full
time fire fighters. Fire Chief Brian Thurston says losing his
remaining full-time staff could leave residents without
around-the-clock service.
Chief Brian Thurston, Leoni Township Fire Department: "The
importance of maintaining the three fire fighters is the experience
and knowledge they bring to the community." Thurston presented the
township board with a plan that would keep the full-time fire
fighters through November, maybe longer if residents approve a
millage increase in August, but for now the chief must make more
than $29,000 in cuts to keep his full-time staff. Chris Huttenlocker,
Leoni firefighters' union president, says, "If this millage should
fail, the township is in a world of hurt."
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Abington police, fire unions agree to concessions
Abington Mariner (06/09/09)
The town’s police and
firefighters' unions have agreed to forego pay raises in fiscal 2010
to help prevent “crippling” reductions in public services. Kevin
O’Neil, president of the police union, and John Nuttall, president
of the firefighters' union, presented their offer with the Finance
Committee to discuss the impact of further budget cuts on both
departments. O’Neil said the unions negotiated the zero-percent pay
increase in “good faith” and added the offer is contingent upon
other town departments making the same sacrifice. “If we work as
one, we can get it done,” he said. Town Manager Phillip L. Warren
said both unions having “shown their hand” during contract
negotiations is a “huge step forward for the town of Abington and we
should commend them deeply for it.”
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Edwardsville
Makes Deal To Avoid Firefighter Cuts
KMBC (06/08/09)
Minutes after a firefighters'
union began a picket in protest of a possible layoff of a fire
fighter in Edwardsville, city and union leaders came to an agreement
to avoid the job loss. Firefighters' union President Bob Wing and
Edwardsville Mayor John McTaggart announced the agreement to the
picketing fire fighters. Details still need to be worked out, but
Wing expects to submit the proposal for a union vote in the next
couple of days. "I feel awfully good right now," Wing said. "Every
hand counts. It truly was a health and safety issue to us. If this
fire department goes down one member, that's one person they don't
have to do a stressful and strenuous job."
"It is a safety issue and that's what some of this attempt to
resolve this has been about," mayor John McTaggart said. "It's great
for the city and it's great for the fire department. We can keep the
fire fighter on, get this issue behind us, and start working on the
next one,” said Mark Bishop, an Edwardsville city councilman who
also serves on the city fire department. At the center of the job
dispute was Edwardsville's $125,000 budget shortfall, but in the
end, all sides agreed that losing one fire fighter from a 14-person
department created unnecessary risk to public safety. During council
meetings this spring, city leaders have repeatedly said that layoffs
are the least appealing scenario to shore up the budget shortfall.
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Reno
agrees to no layoffs if workers take no raise
Times-Standard (06/07/09)
Reno city officials have agreed
to not lay off any city workers who agree to skip raises for the
next year and let the city miss one payment to its health insurance
plans. But the city says it can only keep its promise as long as the
economy doesn't get worse. The city council has been appealing to
employee unions to give up two 2.1 percent raises over next year.
Reno has been looking for ways to avoid laying off up to 60
employees, including 19 fire fighters.
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Anchorage
firefighters posting service closures on Twitter
KTUU - Anchorage (06/04/09)
A group of Anchorage fire
fighters has taken to the latest fad in social networking to inform
residents of service closures. After frustrations that the city of
Anchorage isn't doing enough to get out information on fire station
rig closures, some fire fighters decided to take matters into their
own hands by posting closures to the popular online social
networking site Twitter. The fire department says its policy is not
to publicize closings because it puts equipment and the station
itself at risk. But some fire fighters in town say that's not going
to cut it. "You know I think there is some frustration within the
department," said Tom Wescott, president of the Anchorage
firefighters' union. "It has to do with the lack of the city putting
the information out there." The firefighters' union, which agreed to
wage concessions this year, says the city isn't doing enough to tell
neighbors which rigs are closed down each day.
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Firefighters accept city offer
Monroe News (06/04/09)
Five fire department layoffs
were averted and a scaled-down city ambulance transport service was
saved under an offer accepted by Monroe city fire fighters. Members
of Local 326 voted 20-6 to accept the city’s latest counterproposal
that reduces staffing by four people and will require three layoffs.
The new budget that takes effect July 1 would have reduced fire
department staffing by nine — from 31 to 22 — and ended the city
ambulance service. Under the new agreement, staffing will be reduced
to 27 and the number of city ALS transport units will be reduced
from two to one. Monroe County Ambulance, which serves the rest of
Monroe County, will provide the second ambulance when needed.
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Lodi City Council delays decision on eight proposed layoffs
Lodi News-Sentinel (06/04/09)
At the Lodi City Council budget
discussion, the focus was on eight layoffs proposed by the city if
four unions do not reach an agreement with the city before June 30.
Without agreements, three fire fighters, one battalion chief, two
maintenance workers, one senior administrative clerk in the fire
department and one purchasing tech will be laid off. In addition,
one building inspector will be laid off regardless of the
negotiations. City staff said that they went to each union group
with a dollar figure of how much they need to cut in pay and
benefits. City Attorney Steve Schwabauer said the city offered
options of how the unions can cut their budgets, and asked for
suggestions. Union leaders argued that city staff has not been
responsive to suggestions from bargaining groups, and have not been
clear on how much needs to be cut.
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Like police, Fire Division says 300 jobs could be lost
Columbus Dispatch (06/03/09)
Another city service could be on
the line in the August 4 election to raise Columbus income taxes:
The Division of Fire says nearly 300 fire fighter jobs would be lost
by the end of 2010 if the city doesn't get more money. Of the total,
238 fire fighters would be laid off and another 51 jobs would go
unfilled under a potential 2010 budget submitted to city officials
by Fire Chief Ned Pettus Jr. That amounts to a 19 percent reduction
in the city's 1,511-member force. Response to emergencies most
certainly would be affected, Pettus said. "The city's not going to
shrink," he said. "If the size of our division shrinks that response
time is going to suffer." Pettus was ordered by Public Safety
Director Mitchell J. Brown to show how he would cut $18.9 million
from the amount needed to keep fire services intact next year.
Police Chief Walter Distelzweig proposed a budget last week that
would cut $21.4 million from his division's bottom line and
eliminate the jobs of 324 officers. The budget proposals are
preliminary and assume that each department would be asked to share
the burden of cuts if the city does not receive new revenue. Mayor
Michael B. Coleman will propose a 2010 budget in November that is
likely to shift money among departments. City Council members have
the power to do the same before they approve a budget in February.
The city faces a budget gap of at least $105 million next year and
has asked voters to approve a tax increase that would raise the
income-tax rate from 2 percent to 2.5 percent on people who work in
Columbus. Pettus' plan also suggests redirecting fire fighters from
community outreach, education and training programs. He said many
changes -- including potential fire station closings -- would need
to be negotiated with the city's firefighters' union. Layoffs, based
on seniority, mean the city would lose 122 fire fighters who are
also trained as paramedics, 15 who are training to become
paramedics, and 43 fire fighters who are trained in
hazardous-materials response.
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Kokomo Mayor not finished with fire department?
Kokomo Perspective (06/03/09)
When mayor Greg Goodnight cut 12
fire fighters two weeks ago, the union took to the streets to inform
citizens of their belief that public safety had been compromised.
But the cuts may not be over. Goodnight stated last week that the
city’s revenue position is weak; if it doesn’t improve, there may be
more fire fighters and other city employees out of work. “There are
so many variables,” said Goodnight. “It’s reaching an agreement on
cost-sharing for services with (Center Township trustee Jean Lushin).
We still have no guarantee that Chrysler is going to pay their
property taxes for their spring installment. We’re going to have to
make some really big changes. It’s not just firemen. “The layoffs
were because of the ambulance service. I can’t rule out layoffs in
any department. Absolutely, it’s a real possibility.” The mayor made
this statement days after Lushin alleged that he had been
“threatened” with more fire fighter layoffs if he did not agree to
the city’s demands on cost sharing. Goodnight said he did not
threaten Lushin.
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Layoffs hit Lehigh Fire Department
2News (06/03/09)
Nine fire fighters and two other
employees with the Lehigh Acres Fire District are out of a job and
that's just the beginning of some massive cutbacks. Officials with
the fire district say the layoffs will come in three rounds. All
together, up to 40 employees will lose their jobs. That's nearly
half of the department's staff. It comes as a result of a drastic
drop in property values and tax revenue in Lehigh. It's devastating
to the district and very concerning to the thousands of homeowners
who live there. When Lehigh resident Valery Phoirier thought back to
the brush fires that evacuated her neighborhood last year, she said
the news about the layoffs doesn't sit well. "I find it scary," she
said. Patrick Comer, spokesman for the district, was one of the 11
people told that he would be out of a job. He says of the 40
employees that are expected to lose jobs, 30 of them will be fire
fighters. "I wish I could say response times won't be affected. I
think they would almost certainly have to be," Comer said. "I don't
know how to paint a good picture of this in anyway. It's affecting a
lot of families and a lot of lives." Comer says the effects will be
far reaching and will undoubtedly hit home during brush fire season
when response times in Lehigh mean everything. Homeowners say they
feel the cuts will mean less protection when they need it the most.
"I just don't want to wait until someone loses their home before
something's done. I just hope it doesn't get that drastic," said
Phoirier.
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City, Norco firefighters dispute effect of threatened layoffs
The Press-Enterprise (06/03/09)
Proposed job cuts in the Norco
Fire Department have set off a paper war, with fire fighters
circulating a flier that warns residents of "dangerous cuts" to fire
protection that would put families at risk, and city officials
countering with a flier that claims the city's "very well paid" fire
fighters need to help close a budget gap. The city, facing a deficit
estimated at $792,000 in May, issued tentative pink slips to six of
its 12 fire fighters in the 27-person department last week. The fire
fighters could lose their jobs, saving the city about $750,000, if
savings aren't found elsewhere by July 1. City officials said a
stalemate in negotiations between Norco and the firefighters' union
drove them to issue the layoff notices. Fire fighters argued they
did their share when they agreed to concessions in January, and they
urged the city to fill the budget gap with emergency reserve funds.
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Kingston’s budget cuts 34 positions
Kingston Reporter (06/02/09)
Thirty-four town and school
employees will be out of work July 1, if Town Meeting approves the
$33 million budget. Nineteen school staff positions including eight
teaching positions will be cut as will 10 call fire fighters, and
one highway department employee. A position in the tax collector’s
office will remain unfilled in 2010, and three open positions in the
police department will not be filled according to town Treasurer
John LaBrache, who together with the Finance Committee, the Board of
Selectmen and members of the Elementary School Committee, met to
finish putting together the budget puzzle. Members of the
firefighters’ union accepted a last minute wage freeze, which freed
up $11,046. The Kingston Elementary Teachers Union was considering a
wage freeze, according to LaBrache, but there was no word on whether
the union accepted the freeze. LaBrache said it was too little, too
late anyway. “They won’t get back any of their positions at this
point,” he told the various boards.
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More than 1,100 will start getting layoff notices this week
Chicago Sun-Times (06/02/09)
More than 1,100 city employees
-- none sworn police officers or fire fighters -- will start
receiving layoff notices after organized labor refused Mayor Daley's
demand for 17 days off without pay and comp time instead of cash
overtime. For weeks, Chicago Federation of Labor President Dennis
Gannon has been holding out for a two-year, no-layoff guarantee that
Daley insists he cannot give because of nose-diving city revenues.
Gannon and a handful of other union leaders met again with three top
mayoral aides: chief-of-staff Paul Volpe, labor negotiator David
Johnson and intergovernmental affairs director John Dunn. They
informed the Daley troika that the no-layoff guarantee was
non-negotiable. Without it, organized labor will not agree to join
3,600 non-union city employees in taking 17 days off without pay by
December 31 -- including three previously-scheduled government
shutdown days -- and comp time instead of cash. "We went through
this six months ago and we were very creative in preserving jobs.
Now, we're at it again. What are they gonna do next time, take a
kidney?" asked a union leader, who asked to remain anonymous.
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Rally planned in Lehigh concerning firefighter layoffs
News-Press (06/02/09)
A rally for people who are
concerned about the fire fighter layoffs in the Lehigh Acres fire
district is planned for 6:00 p.m. on June 3. The district told nine
fire fighters and two other employees that they will be let go in
six weeks because of the 47 percent decline in property values
within the fire district. The layoffs will save the department
$783,740. More layoffs are possible and could be announced when the
commission holds a special meeting June 23. The rally is meant to
show there are options to laying off fire fighters, organizer Robert
Anderson said. Anderson is a Lehigh resident who follows local
government activities. He also is a former candidate for fire
commissioner.
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Nine Lehigh Acres firefighters, two district employees lose jobs
News-Press (06/02/09)
Nine fire fighters and two other
employees of the Lehigh Acres fire district learned that the budget
squeeze brought on by declining property values will cost them their
jobs. This was the first of three phases of layoffs that ultimately
will cost 30 fire fighters their jobs, said district spokesman
Patrick Comer, who also will lose his job. The first phase will save
the district $783,740. The district's operating budget is $21.8
million. The district's taxable property value dropped 46.9 percent,
according to the 2009 preliminary property appraiser estimates
released last week. That would amount to a decline of more than $9
million in property tax income for the district. The budget crisis
also could lead to reduced ambulance service and the closure of a
fire station.
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Sacramento
firefighters tentatively agree to give up raises to preserve jobs
The Sacramento Bee (06/02/09)
In a major breakthrough for the
city's grueling budget process, Sacramento fire fighters have
tentatively agreed to freeze their salaries in order to save the
jobs of dozens of their comrades. The tentative agreement reached
between officials with the fire union and city labor negotiators
requires the approval of the fire union's membership. By forgoing a
5 percent raise due to them next month, the fire fighters would
avoid a $5 million cut to their department's budget that includes
eliminating 50 positions. Some of those positions are already
vacant, but city officials said the proposed cutbacks would result
in at least 38 fire fighters getting laid off. "It's what we
needed," City Manager Ray Kerridge said. "It was a long struggle and
it's not the end, but it's a huge step forward." Fire union
spokeswoman Robin Swanson said union officials had endured a
"frustrating process" in which "their concerns were not always
heard." "The negotiators, first and foremost, are fire fighters,"
she said. "They came to the table wanting to protect public safety."
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Three Heights firefighters laid off
Muskegon Chronicle (06/02/09)
Three full-time Muskegon Heights
fire fighters will be laid off as part of the city's latest
budget-cutting measures. The layoffs will reduce the city's fire
department to 10 fire fighters, not including Fire Chief David Alves.
Muskegon Heights City Manager Natasha Henderson said the layoffs,
which will take effect June 12, will save the city about $150,000
this year. The layoffs did not require city council approval.
Henderson said the layoffs are necessary because the city cannot
afford to continue operating with a budget deficit, as it has in
past years. The danger of doing so could lead to the state taking
over city operations, city officials have said. "Cuts are never
easy," Henderson said. "But the way the economy is, we have to make
some tough decisions."
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Firefighter cuts may raise Atlanta insurance rates
The Atlanta
Journal-Constitution (06/01/09)
Atlanta homeowners could pay as
much 10 percent more for their insurance unless the city hires more
fire fighters and shows its training is up to snuff, Georgia
Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner John Oxendine warned.
Oxendine announced the preliminary findings of a report by the New
Jersey-based Insurance Services Office that found Atlanta’s public
protection classification rating dropped from 2 to 4 on a scale of
10 with 1 being the best rating. Atlanta has nine months to make
changes that will allow the city to keep its current rating or drop
to a 3. Oxendine used the report to blast the city for several
rounds of budget cuts last year that resulted in closing a fire
station and “brownouts,” the practice of temporarily moving fire
fighters to other parts of Atlanta to handle calls for service.
“[The rating drop] can be stopped by the City Council by saying life
safety is a priority,” Oxendine, who is running for governor, told
reporters. City officials said they are confident they will maintain
the current rating and noted the 4 rating would be higher than most
places in Georgia and the same as Oxendine’s home county of
Gwinnett.
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