New contract gives firefighters raise, saves city thousands

SANDUSKY

Call it a win-win.

After months of negotiations, the city and fire union on Monday night reached a three-year collective bargaining contract.

Both sides appeared to make concessions, according to a summary of the contract.

But Mark Fishel, a civil service lawyer who helped the city with the negotiations, said the deal will save Sandusky at least tens of thousands of dollars in the coming years, although exact figures weren't immediately available. Fishel praised the firefighters for their flexibility and good-faith negotiations.

"The firefighters were good partners in getting to this. Absolutely," he said. "They tried really hard, and so did the city."

One concession says the firefighters will increase their work week from 51 to 53 hours, while earning the same amount of money. They will also begin contributing to their health care, paying $37 biweekly for family coverage, or $13 for individual coverage.

Lastly, they will get three fewer vacation days, known as "Kelly Days."

In return, city officials agreed to rehire three of the six firefighters they laid off in February.

It will also give the firefighters a 1 percent raise in 2011, and a 2 percent raise in 2012. Salaries will remain steady in 2010.

Finally, the city agreed that if it lays off any firefighters in the next three years, the firefighters will return to 51-hour work weeks and get their three extra vacation days back.

"I know it's a tough time for the city," Fishel said. "But it doesn't always go this way (where a city saves money) in labor negotiations."

The city will use money from the EMS Fund to rehire the three firefighters. The EMS Fund holds the money the city collects when it charges residents who use ambulances.

Although that money is usually used for capital improvements like new equipment, the city said it would make a one-time exception.

"The union will sign an agreement that the use of these funds is on a non-precedent-setting basis," the summary says.

The firefighters' health-care contributions will save the city $35,000 in 2010 and $42,000 each year in 2011 and 2012, Fishel said. Firefighters will now make the same contributions as non-union city employees currently make.

Fishel also said the 1 percent raises in 2011 will cost the city between $40,000 and $50,000, and the 2 percent raises will cost double that in 2012.

The city will save the majority of its money when firefighters work longer weeks without making more money. That essentially reduces their hourly pay and costs the city less money for vacations and holiday pay.

As part of the contract, the city will also reduce its uniform allowance -- money for work clothes -- from $700 per year to $100 per year.

According to interim city manager Don Icsman, the city still hadn't reached agreements Monday with the police union or the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which are the city's other two unions.

But Icsman said those negotiations will continue in the coming weeks.

Because city commissioners remained in executive session late Monday evening, they weren't available for comment.