By KARIN CROMPTON
Day Staff Writer, East Lyme/Salem
Published on 6/8/2005
East Lyme— Firefighters will receive a raise in their new contract with the town, but will also pay more for health care.
In the one-year contract, which was endorsed last week by the Board of Selectmen and signed by the first selectman on Friday, the town's seven full-time firefighters will receive a 4-percent salary increase.
At the same time, the employees will now pay for 7 percent of their health care premium, an increase of 2 percent.
The contract is effective July 1.
Union president David Connolly said the rest of the contract dealt with language and administrative issues.
In the current contract, a probationary firefighter/driver — an employee who has been working for less than one year — would earn $18.24 per hour. Firefighters who have been working for more than a year all earn $21.27.
There is no other progression of salaries, although the contract includes longevity pay in the form of a yearly bonus that maxes out at $1,050 annually for firefighters who have 25 years or more of service.
First Selectman Wayne Fraser said the town is asking for a higher contribution in health care premiums from all its employees to offset rising costs. The town used surplus money this year to mitigate a 20 percent increase in insurance expenses.
Fraser said the one-year contract would help stagger the negotiation process so the town doesn't have to negotiate with all its union employees in the same year. There is also a contract with the town employees union and the town is currently negotiating with the police department.
The full-time firefighters work weekdays between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Part-timers and volunteers cover weekends and the overnight 12 hours.
Both Fraser and Connolly said the negotiations went smoothly.
“It was business as usual,” Connolly said on Monday. “It was a very fair and equitable contract.”
k.crompton@theday.com
© The Day Publishing Co., 2005
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