Firefighter’s union helps balance EFR budget
December 22, 2009
By J.B. Wogan
By J.B. Wogan
In a special meeting Dec. 16, the Eastside Fire & Rescue Board of Directors passed a revised labor agreement that closes the budget deficit and avoids firefighter layoffs.
“My personal opinion is that the board was ready to lay people off. How many, we don’t know,” said Craig Hooper, president of the local firefighters union 2878. “We were willing to do whatever we could to avoid that.”
With the potential of layoffs on the table, the union returned to the board with a proposal to take no wage increase in 2010 and no more than a 4 percent increase in 2011. It also proposed changing to a less expensive medical plan for firefighters.
Under the firefighters’ current contract, which wasn’t up for negotiation in 2009, they were due to receive about a 1.5 percent increase in their wages for 2010, according to Hooper.
The EFR board voted 7-0 in favor of the labor agreement. North Bend’s representative, Dee Williamson, was absent.
Lee Fellinge, a Sammamish representative on the EFR board, said he was encouraged by the labor union’s proposal.
“It seemed like it was a step in the right direction,” Fellinge said. One component that Fellinge called “extremely important” was the alignment of three separate contract agreements. From now on, firefighters, battalion chiefs and support staff will negotiate contracts in the same year, minimizing the cost of lawyer’s fees.
“I think that’s good for both the agency and for the union because it really cuts down on the acrimony that always goes down with labor agreements,” Fellinge said.
The fire protection agency covers Sammamish, Issaquah, North Bend, Carnation, and parts of unincorporated King County.
The EFR board had passed a budget Dec. 8 that left a $241,000 gap between what it planned to spend and what it was due to take in. The new union agreement makes up that difference.
The agency anticipates receiving about $20.5 million, the vast majority of which comes from EFR’s three partner cities (Sammamish, Issaquah and North Bend) and two county fire districts.
The partner cities, facing tight budget years, asked that EFR not increase the amount they pay.
Holding the line on partner contributions translated into a funding problem though.
Employee wages were still set to increase about 1.5 percent and the cost of medical insurance for those employees was anticipated to increase as well.
About 81 percent of EFR’s spending goes to employee wages and benefits. It’s been the driving factor in fire protection cost increases recently, which have become the subject of some scrutiny by the city of Sammamish.
Firefighter wages vary from about $57,372 to $81,960. Firefighters in leadership positions such as lieutenants, captains and battalion chiefs make between $90,156 and $112,285. All four classes of firefighters are represented by the union.
Hooper credited the union’s vice president, Scott Percival, with closing the budget gap through medical insurance savings.
Hooper said Percival took it upon himself during time off to research more than 20 medical insurance plans and find a less expensive option.
“The guy has done yeomen’s work,” Hooper said.
Fire Chief Lee Soptich said the agency would save $56,715 in 2010 by changing medical insurance plans. He said it would save about $1.75 million from 2010 through 2014.
Reporter J.B. Wogan can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com. To comment on this story, visit www.SammamishReview.com.
In a special meeting Dec. 16, the Eastside Fire & Rescue Board of Directors passed a revised labor agreement that closes the budget deficit and avoids firefighter layoffs.
“My personal opinion is that the board was ready to lay people off. How many, we don’t know,” said Craig Hooper, president of the local firefighters union 2878. “We were willing to do whatever we could to avoid that.”
With the potential of layoffs on the table, the union returned to the board with a proposal to take no wage increase in 2010 and no more than a 4 percent increase in 2011. It also proposed changing to a less expensive medical plan for firefighters.
Under the firefighters’ current contract, which wasn’t up for negotiation in 2009, they were due to receive about a 1.5 percent increase in their wages for 2010, according to Hooper.
The EFR board voted 7-0 in favor of the labor agreement. North Bend’s representative, Dee Williamson, was absent.
Lee Fellinge, a Sammamish representative on the EFR board, said he was encouraged by the labor union’s proposal.
“It seemed like it was a step in the right direction,” Fellinge said. One component that Fellinge called “extremely important” was the alignment of three separate contract agreements. From now on, firefighters, battalion chiefs and support staff will negotiate contracts in the same year, minimizing the cost of lawyer’s fees.
“I think that’s good for both the agency and for the union because it really cuts down on the acrimony that always goes down with labor agreements,” Fellinge said.
The fire protection agency covers Sammamish, Issaquah, North Bend, Carnation, and parts of unincorporated King County.
The EFR board had passed a budget Dec. 8 that left a $241,000 gap between what it planned to spend and what it was due to take in. The new union agreement makes up that difference.
The agency anticipates receiving about $20.5 million, the vast majority of which comes from EFR’s three partner cities (Sammamish, Issaquah and North Bend) and two county fire districts.
The partner cities, facing tight budget years, asked that EFR not increase the amount they pay.
Holding the line on partner contributions translated into a funding problem though.
Employee wages were still set to increase about 1.5 percent and the cost of medical insurance for those employees was anticipated to increase as well.
About 81 percent of EFR’s spending goes to employee wages and benefits. It’s been the driving factor in fire protection cost increases recently, which have become the subject of some scrutiny by the city of Sammamish.
Firefighter wages vary from about $57,372 to $81,960. Firefighters in leadership positions such as lieutenants, captains and battalion chiefs make between $90,156 and $112,285. All four classes of firefighters are represented by the union.
Hooper credited the union’s vice president, Scott Percival, with closing the budget gap through medical insurance savings.
Hooper said Percival took it upon himself during time off to research more than 20 medical insurance plans and find a less expensive option.
“The guy has done yeomen’s work,” Hooper said.
Fire Chief Lee Soptich said the agency would save $56,715 in 2010 by changing medical insurance plans. He said it would save about $1.75 million from 2010 through 2014.
Reporter J.B. Wogan can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com.
Other Stories of Interest: Eastside Fire & Rescue
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