Fire union will work for two weeks without pay

(by Mollie Gray, Staff Writer - February 26, 2009)
 

CLIFTON – Firefighters are willing to work for no pay for two weeks in order to keep other firefighters from getting laid off.

The Fire Department submitted the proposal already Ok’d by the union, to waive two weeks’ worth of salary in order to avert layoffs and to keep Fire Engine 2 on Dumont Avenue from shutting down.

Under the proposal, submitted to the City Manager on Tuesday, City firefighters including senior level staff will work the two weeks without receiving the corresponding pay, said Bob DeLuca, president of the Clifton Firemen’s Mutual Benevolent Association.

The proposal comes after the public protested the layoffs of 17 firefighters during a City Council meeting on Feb. 17. Residents told City officials that cutting back on an already short-handed emergency response team in the City would greatly compromise public safety and put lives at risk. They asked Council members to reconsider a plan to layoff the firefighters on March 6. The plan also includes demoting four other individuals and the elimination of a deputy chief position.

By cutting 17 positions, the City would save $600,000 in expenses in 2009, officials said. The new proposal saves just about the same amount, DeLuca said, resulting in an approximate 4.75 percent reduction in a

firefighter’s salary for 2009.

Under union contract, newly hired firefighters are paid a salary of $34,840 for 2009 and a deputy chief, at the other end of the scale, is paid $122,900.

"The proposal has been ratified by the union, it’s really just Council’s decision now. We are definitely thankful the residents came out and supported us at that meeting. There were a lot of things (said that were) meaningful to residents, business owners and firefighters themselves," added DeLuca. "We will do our part to get us through this budget crisis. We also need to allow the residents the same comfort of knowing their firehouse won’t be closed and the layoffs will be averted."

By next week, the City Council would have to decide if a plan to layoff 60 employees and leave 25 other positions vacant is needed to cope with a budget shortfall in 2009. The plan is scheduled to take effect a week from Friday.

Employees represented by the City’s five labor unions are entitled to a pay increase each year, under contract. In lieu of the City’s budget crisis, the Council has asked all bargaining units to freeze their salaries at the 2008 level and forgo any raises this year. So far the Supervisors Association has agreed to the measure, officials said.

"There continues to be negotiations with all the unions and hopefully we can come to a solution so all the layoffs or some of the layoffs can be avoided," said Mayor James Anzaldi.

The Council is scheduled to discuss the proposals at a meeting next week.