Firefighter contract OK'd by aldermen

By BETH LaMONTAGNE HALL
New Hampshire Union Leader

Published Feb 22, 2012 at 3:00 am (Updated Feb 21, 2012)

MANCHESTER — The Board of Mayor and Aldermen agreed to a tentative new contract with city firefighters and finalized a contract with firefighter supervisors Tuesday night, gaining concessions on health care while still offering small cost-of-living raises and more vacation time.

The Manchester Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 856 contract is similar to other contracts signed by other unionized city employees as well as the Manchester Association of Fire Supervisors' contract, which was ratified by aldermen in a unanimous vote Tuesday evening.

The aldermen commended the firefighters for agreeing to make the deal.

“As alderman of Ward 6 who had to witness the devastation of the four-alarm fire on Eastern Avenue, I hope it's never something I have to witness again,” said Alderman Garth Corriveau. “Between the really heroic actions of that night and really the tremendous sacrifice you're making in this agreement, I think it's been a week the Manchester Fire Department should be very proud of.”

Both contracts extend to 2015 and include increases in health insurance contributions for firefighters. Current staff will contribute 12.5 percent of health care premiums beginning July 1 and will increase contributions to 15 percent in 2013. Co-payments for doctors and emergency room visits and prescription drugs also increase. All new hires after July 1 will pay 20 percent toward their premiums.

The Local 856 deal includes eliminating almost all overtime pay. For hours worked above scheduled shifts, firefighters will be paid in straight time. It also limits vacation buybacks, a program to encourage firefighters to accept payment for vacation time instead of taking time off. The program was aimed at cutting overtime pay, but hasn't saved the city the money it had hoped.

In return, the firefighters will receive a 1 percent cost-of-living increase in 2014 and 2015 and one additional week of vacation after 20 years of service.

The agreement on the Local 856 contract was reached late Tuesday evening after the board met in a closed-door session. The contract will now lay over until the next Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting for final ratifications.

These concessions, like others made by city employees, are aimed at staving off layoffs. Last year, aldermen voted to lay off up to 15 firefighters.

“Last year's budget vote was one of the toughest votes I had to take in my life. I can't imagine taking a tougher vote again,” said Alderman Russ Ouellette. “Hopefully now we can move forward and rebuild the working relationship we have with (firefighters).”

The aldermen also voted on tentative agreements previously reached with the airport and library unions, as well as a benefits deal made with the city's non-unionized employees.

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Jorge Arvanitis said:

Teddy... I though you said "NO EXCHANGES"??? Or was that only for the teachers???
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Robert White said:

Finally the Board of Alderman is the right thing. Bring back all the firefighters and some more. All ladder companies will be now staffed, all hands will be working. Wheres Howie now?
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Robert White said:

Sorry forgot the word "doing the right thing"
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Bill Powers said:

I also thought there were not going to be anymore exchanges. How does Gatsas think he is ever going to get the school employees to make concessions if he doesn't have anything to offer them in exchange!
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JR White said:

To preface my comments, I say God bless the fire fighters, police and first responders who put their life on the line to save others. What I'm about to say is not aimed at these fine people...To the left leaning, Obama lovers and union bosses.... Listen to the words of your beloved leader... "let every American pay his/her fair share". Perhaps the firefighters union finally understands that the private sector employees-who work their arses off to stay afloat and watch as their own income remains flat while benefits shrink and become more expensive-are getting tired of funding the lucrative benefit packages of their public service peers.I say bring benefits and pay more in line with private sector.. After all, it's the taxpayer who foots the bill...
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TJ Miller said:

Good news to have MFD full staffed again...that's what WMUR is reporting this morning anyways (that all laid off firefighters will be hired back).Ironic that sources have told me that Golden Dome Gatsas is the person who negotiated the last contract with MFD that he is now changing. Never a word on that in the UL - how come? Will Golden Dome Gatsas comment on that? Also, last year MFD DID offer concessions the last time out and GDG rejected them as not enough out of hand.Nice job UL - now you've got Mr. Corriveau in the correct ward (6), a day late. NIce to read Corriveau is on the scene of things happening in the Ward instead of the former stand-in Mr Magoo Pinard who holds down a seat at the Candia Road coffee store.Glad they got the deal done.Onward.
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Howie Howe said:

I doubt seriously that this contract means all ladder trucks will be fully staffed - in fact I'm willing to bet that as soon as this contract is signed we will hear they need even more personnel. I doubt we will hear the Fire Dept claim they are fully staffed under this agreement, despite what WMUR says, because they will claim to still be short-handed even after re-hiring those laid off.Read the article, there is a reason this is part of the agreement:"All new hires after July 1 will pay 20 percent toward their premiums."So how about asking Mark Higgins if with the new contract the Dept be fully staffed, with all ladder trucks having full time crews? Most likely "Shared staffing" will continue.
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chris simons said:

Seems like a good balance and fair deal for both sides. I heard only 4 hire backs on WMUR this morning though, not all that have been released.
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Jean Davis said:

City workers get ANOTHER recession raise, more vacation time, still contribute less for their health insurance than the private sector, and their OT and payback scams are just "limited"? Wow, what a tough contract. At least Gatsas and the sheep aldermen did something for taxpayers and are bringing back FFs. Why not do something about the crime rate? Gatsas says he proudly stands "unequivocally" with Chief Mara and his unions, and that he gave more to cops because they "signed first", even though Manchester crime has gone up every year for the past 5, even though crime is down nationally and in most of NH. Before he stammers, "but our crime is lower than other cities our size", most cities of 100k are suburbs of high crime cities who get their crime ooze, like Manchester suburbs get Manchester's ooze. Compare Manchester today to Manchester 5 years ago.
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Robt Feldman said:

If firefighters with 20 years service get an additional week of vacation, and they do not use this time let's say during their last couple years of employment, does that unused vacation time morph into a cash payout at time of severance and considered compensation for purposes of calculating their pension? Bet it does, and that's why the older heroes (who historically deep down care less about the younger firefighters when negotiating contracts) were quick to take this incredible deal. And once again, the joke is Manchester taxpayers.
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Mark Higgins said:

HowieYou are correct. I know, I'm surprised also. The Alderman allowed the MFD to hire up to four firefighters back. This is with the idea that three firefighters have decided to retire by June 30th. Thats a net gain of one firefighter. So all the ladder trucks will not be fully staffed but its a step forward for my safety and that of the city.Robt FeldmanThis agreement took almost 18 months. To say that senior firefighters "historically" deep down care less about the younger firefighters is a lie. Every contract up until this one has treated each firefighter the same. I can personally say that was one of the biggest hurdles to getting this deal. Many feel that having seperate health care benefits for doing the same job was unacceptable. Before you start crowing what an incredible deal this is for the union, find out how much money this renegotiated contract(which wasn't to expire for two more years) just saved the tax payers. Add that to the money saved the last time then candidate Gatsas ask us to open up the contract and push back raises to again save the city money.Give the whole story.
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Robt Feldman said:

Mark Higgins - no, this is nothing more than Mayor Gatsas cutting away layer upon layer of fat that has accumulated over the years. What fat? Salary increases...starting as far back as the outrageous ones "gifted" by former Mayor Beaulieu before he was booted out of office, and beyond. Let's not forget all the overtime for those approaching retirement; decades upon decades of almost free insurance and 50% pensions that do not reflect 50% of base compensation paid during the employees term! I could go on and on. Or how about the system of promoting those to Captain or Battalion Chief who are nearing retirement, just to boost the last three years salaries. We're not dumb Mr. Higgins. I think Mayor Gatsas has this department budget FINALLY under control now. It's time for the Chief and leadership to reinvent itself using what it has. No Mr. Higgins, the Union leadership decided to keep what it had, and let the young recruit dangle in the wind. They're slowly coming back now, and that's great. This deal cuts away the fat and that translates into savings for the city and less of a tax increase for me.
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Howie Howe said:

@Mark Higgins - is there a reason that the pumpers only have want appears to be a 16 foor ladder on them? Saw a pumper today at an auto accident in Granite Square (Granite & Main St) and noted that it only carried a short ladder. It seems to me they should be carrying at least one 36-40 foot ladder.
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Mark Higgins said:

Robt FeldmanYou obviously think you have your thumb on all the facts. I disagree. Salary increases are determined by the B of M and A of which Mayor Gatsas was a member and the force behind most of the budgets during his time. If you knew how the overtime was disseminated you would know that it is given out through the fire houses not to individuals. The retirement system is a state system that has and will work for quite some time. There is a mutiplier built in for years of service and that increases the size of ones pension.Promotions are done by taking the best and most qualified candidates. Not by senority to pad a pension.The dept. has experienced officers, not old ones.Finally, the Union leadership and negotiating committee brought the deal to the firefighters. It was our choice to vote it up or down.They didn't make a deal, they presented one. It passed the rank and file overwhelmingly, young and old ,new and long time employees. The main factor in this deal passing was to bring back those firefighters layed off so that we could all do our jobs better,safer and more efficiantly. I appreciate your position but I disagree with your arguments.Good enough isn't good.Public safety and firefighter safety should not be a low bid .
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Mark Higgins said:

HowiePumps have a 24ft. ladder and whats called a roof ladder. That's what the Engines come equipped with. Trucks carry a 35ft. extension ladder.
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Alex Paul said:

RobtWho are they supposed to promote? The junior guys?
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Firefighter contract OK'd by aldermen

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