A conciliator has sided with the Athens Fire Department firefighters' union in its debate with the city about whether to keep a contract provision entitling newly hired employees to longevity pay.
Representatives from the city, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Ohio Council 8, and Local 3351 had been negotiating the contract for about a year and had failed to come to an agreement, so the case went to a conciliator, city Law Director Garry Hunter said.
And conciliator Howard Silver, of Columbus, sided with the firefighters.
The city wanted to cut the longevity pay - additional pay for employees who work at the department for five years or more - for new firefighters. The union maintained the cut would single out new firefighters and save only about $400.
Longevity pay for firefighters costs the city $30,000 each year, Hunter said, adding that the amount is not insignificant
the way (the union) had previously said.
City service workers, such as those in the street, water and sewer departments, have agreed to cut longevity pay for new employees, and a similar cut is part of current contract negotiations with city police, he said.
But Barry Bolin, Athens AFSCME Ohio Council 8 regional director, said the idea that the longevity pay cut should be the same for all city employees was ludicrous because not all contract negotiations are the same.
Other negotiation concerns were settled in mediation just before the conciliation meeting, Hunter said.
The city's positions prevailed on two major issues in mediation. Its proposed annual salary increase of 3 percent was put into effect, and employees now will make a co-pay on medical benefits and pay an increased medical insurance deductible for prescriptions.
I think generally the city was happy with the settlement Hunter said.
Representatives from the firefighters' union could not be reached for comment, but Bolin said he thinks the firefighters are pleased with the outcome.
17
Archives
Kantele Franko
