By Matt Breslow
Staff Writer
October 8, 2004
NORWALK -- More than two years after their last contract expired, fire union officials broke silence on negotiations yesterday and aired their frustrations publicly.
Both sides had agreed not to go public with details of the talks, unless they stalled, when negotiations began for a pact to replace the contract that expired June 30, 2002.
However, with the matter before an arbitration panel, fire union President Martin O'Marra yesterday described the status of talks as a "stalemate" and "complete impasse."
In an informal meeting of union officials and reporters at fire headquarters, Vice President Michael Simso said his membership is willing to compromise but thinks the city won't change its stance on the issues most important to Norwalk firefighters.
"They won't budge on a single thing," O'Marra said.
In a separate interview, Mayor Alex Knopp called failure to reach a contract agreement between the city and fire union "the single biggest disappointment in (his) three years" in City Hall. Disputing the assertion that negotiations are stalled, Knopp said the most recent session occurred Sept. 23, when the union called off a scheduled arbitration hearing to reopen talks with the city.
"The city is negotiating in good faith with the fire union, and we are anxious to reach a fair agreement, just as we have with almost every other union in the city," said Knopp, who also listed ways he's helped the fire department progress since taking office.
O'Marra said union negotiators walked out of the Sept. 23 session after finding the city's offer "insulting" and "(no)where near acceptable," and decided to leave the matter in arbitraters' hands.
Meanwhile, fire union officials said morale is lower than ever because of the unresolved contract talks, buildings in disrepair, outdated communications equipment and an unnegotiated health insurance switch Knopp instituted last year for noneducation bargaining units to save $500,000.
O'Marra said poor morale is not affecting firefighters' job performance and said all department members continue to "give 150 percent on every call."
"We're firefighters because we chose this profession because we want to serve the public. And we're good at our job," Simso said. "But we're also family men" who must support wives and children and pay mortgages, he said.
Fire union leaders identified three major sticking points in the negotiations:some benefit in return for the sudden health-plan switch; extra compensation for assuming an increased role in responding to medical calls; and payment for overtime at 1 1/2 times, instead of 1 1/4 times, the regular pay rate.
Three bargaining units in the midst of negotiating new contracts, including the fire union, filed labor complaints with the state when the health-plan change was imposed. The fire union's complaint remains pending, while the other two bargaining units dropped theirs and agreed to new contracts.
O'Marra said firefighters didn't share in the cost of their health plans until the switch occurred.
The union understands medical and prescription costs have skyrocketed, and members are willing to help shoulder the burden, Simso said. However, he said the change should be negotiated.
Knopp said city representatives at the negotiating table told him the fire union agreed to the new health plan being part of their next contract.
"And that's the same plan that all other city employees have, including the police, the Personnel Department and the mayor," Knopp said. "So as far as we know, that's no longer an issue in the arbitration."
O'Marra said the fire union has indicated to the city it accepts the fact it is "stuck with" the new health plan, but wants something in return and has been offered nothing.
Regarding extra compensation for responding to more medical calls, Simso said firefighters voluntarily took on the expanded role in February 2001 under the assumption they would negotiate a pay increase later.
The fire department became a supplemental first responder to medical calls to back up police, the primary first responders, said Capt. Ed Prescott, a member of the union's negotiating committee. He said before taking on the new role, firefighters responded only to blazes and some car accidents.
Prescott estimated the move doubled the fire department's workload, but greatly improved the city's ability to provide basic life support for a patient until an ambulance arrives.
O'Marra said the union understands city budgets are tight and isn't seeking a huge pay hike, but wants some compensation for the added workload.
"We're not asking for the world," he said.
Knopp said the arbitration panel hearing the contract matter decided earlier this year that under the rules of the process, the fire union has forfeited its right to negotiate on the issue of increased pay for firefighters trained as first responders.
Although the ruling means the city doesn't have to extend an offer on the issue, Knopp said he has "gone the extra 10 miles" and agreed to pay firefighters an additional stipend for receiving medical training if they become first responders. He would not elaborate, saying the issue is part of confidential negotiations.
Simso said his union is one of the only bargaining units in the city that receives time-and-a-quarter pay for overtime instead of time-and-a-half.
Knopp said that issue was negotiated before he became mayor, and his understanding is the union received other benefits for accepting the current overtime pay rate.
Speaking generally about the fire department, the mayor noted he's named a new chief and assistant chief this year. New phone systems are being installed and fire dispatch operations will be consolidated with those of police, Knopp said. He said a "nationally prominent" consulting group is performing a $50,000 study to develop a long-term plan for improving the department's facilities, equipment and operations.
"My position is, let's negotiate, talk, resolve the dispute without throwing stones in public, and I'm ready any time to meet with the president of the union to conclude this negotiation as soon as possible," Knopp said.
Copyright © 2004, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.