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November 18, 2010 in City
Firefighters make concessions to save jobs
Spokane firefighters avoid layoffs under a tentative agreement accepted this week by Mayor Mary Verner.
If the deal is approved by union members and City Council, Local 29 of the International Association of Fire Fighters would become the first of the city’s bargaining groups to strike a deal this year to save jobs.
“The tentative agreement makes changes of a permanent nature,” said City Administrator Ted Danek. “There is nothing in here that would harm future budgets.”
The mayor has asked all unions to give up their 2011 cost-of-living raises and to agree to pick up any increased costs of employee medical benefits above 4 percent a year. She has said those departments with unions that make concessions would face 3 percent cuts instead of 9 percent, thus preventing layoffs.
It’s unclear how close the agreement comes to Verner’s request. Danek declined to give specifics, saying he wants to give union members and City Council members a chance to examine the deal.
But he said the 13 firefighters who got layoff notices would remain employed, and of the 15 vacant firefighting jobs, only seven would be eliminated.
Approval of the deal would end talk of closing a fire station. Fire Chief Bobby Williams has said closing the station at 1722 S. Bernard St., was one way to deal with the layoffs.
Under Local 29’s contract, the union is entitled to a 2 percent raise on Jan. 1 and an additional 1 percent boost on July 1.
President of the firefighter union, Mark Vietzke, did not return calls seeking comment. Dan Brown, president of the Spokane Fire Officers Association, which represents the city’s battalion chiefs, said the tentative deal also would affect his members because they also are part of Local 29. He said the agreement is being presented to union members this week.
City Council members expressed cautious optimism when given Danek’s description of the tentative deal.
“If it’s like you describe it, I’d say, ‘yee haw,’” said Councilman Jon Snyder.
Councilwoman Nancy McLaughlin has been among the most vocal on the council in pushing for union concessions.
“On first blush, that’s terrific news, and we’re anxious to hear the full details of it,” she said.
Last year, Verner gave unions wide latitude in finding ways to prevent layoffs, but administrators this year have held firmer ground, saying they had little – if anything – to give in return for accepting her request.
The fire union’s concession last year involved pushing forward on a cheaper medical plan that it already had agreed to pursue in an earlier contract, and the creation of incentives to entice higher-paid firefighters to retire. Officials say the program has lowered the city’s costs, though in some cases it has caused unexpected boosts in overtime.
Facing a $13 million deficit, the mayor has sent notices to 70 city workers that they will be out of work as of Christmas – the last day of the final pay period in 2010. The city also plans to eliminate around 50 jobs that are currently vacant.
City leaders have warned that time is running out for unions to save jobs.
There are signs that other agreements are possible. Spokane Police Guild President Ernie Wuthrich was at City Hall late Thursday afternoon dropping off the guild’s concession proposal. He declined to discuss details before administrators reviewed it.
MAC faces angry crowd 
misjustice on November 18 at 5:22 p.m.
Good.
Now let’s hear from the Guild. Ernie, what say you?
Albert on November 18 at 6:25 p.m.
Thank you!!! Firefighters. We appreciate your help in these difficult times. Your character comes through loud and clear.
monkeyman on November 18 at 6:28 p.m.
What about My job ?!!
Shylock13 on November 18 at 6:37 p.m.
Thank you, firefighters! You would rather make concessions than see your colleagues lose their jobs! Well done! Also, thank you for all you do!
Let’s hear from the other unions!
jddavis on November 18 at 6:38 p.m.
Nice! Now all firefighters will keep their job AND service will be maintained.
hawken on November 18 at 6:58 p.m.
Good choice….
You would have won more supporters had we not had to put a political, public opinion, gun to your head.
D Statler on November 18 at 7:00 p.m.
Thanks Fire Fighters and representatives ! As Albert said it: Your character speaks loud and clear. I hope you are first in line for a raise when times get better!! Don’t hold your breath on the POLICE concessions. All for one and one for one :^(
I work in a school and have not seen an increase in two years.We have givin back two days pay also, trying to help out.Everyone working in the public sector needs to sacrifice for the good of all. Thanks and Happy Holidays Everyone!!
zelda on November 18 at 7:14 p.m.
Thank you, firefighters.
PlanB on November 18 at 7:35 p.m.
Well done.
Spokane_Citizen on November 18 at 7:40 p.m.
Before you get too heady with the news of this ‘concession’ you’d best remember what the last ‘concession’ really achieved….a reduction in the number of battalion chiefs, yet an extreme increase in overtime pay. You’d do well to check the ‘fine print’ in this newly crafted agreement before breaking out the taxpayer bubbly.
Unless these concessions actually include giving back the cola’s that were bargained for (without a submerged accelerated cola some years out to protect the current administration…a trick Mayor West utilized to great effect to curry favor with local 270), and an increased sharing of employee medical costs, they will amount to nothing more than window dressing….no actual reduction in the embedded costs that are consuming the general fund budget.
‘Tis odd that the concession details are being so tightly held……..they wouldn’t have been trumpeted by the administration unless ratified by union membership. The devil is, as they say, in the details. Look for a delayed but massive pay step increase or expansion, another tradeoff like increased paid vacation hours, or some other devious budgetary chicanery.
eagleproducer on November 18 at 8:05 p.m.
Yeah, we all need to just tighten our belts and give back and blah, de freaking blah.
The wealthy need to step up or have it taken from them. Pay back the loans we took out to give you more and more of the national income.
Scoutster on November 18 at 8:16 p.m.
Good move, firefighters.
We will look forward to seeing the terms of the agreement.
zelda on November 18 at 8:48 p.m.
Thanks for the buzz kill, Spokane_Citizen. Here I was dreaming of rainbows and unicorns and then a bucket full of cold reality hits.
Spokane_Citizen on November 18 at 8:56 p.m.
Zelda…I would sincerely welcome a dose of rainbows and unicorns….and maybe they’re on the way….but I’ve seen this stuff before. Hopefully I’m wrong about this.
Spokane_Citizen on November 18 at 9:09 p.m.
You know, Spoketucky, when I was younger I might have fully agreed with you (on the ‘having it taken from them’ comment).
Age has taught me that the new masters soon become as despicable as the old masters……and no, I am no defender of the greed that utlimately corrupts both groups, however well intentioned they begin. Trickle down ‘don’t’ work. It all began with the first simian deciding that he more deserved that ripe mango (or substitute whatever…… fruit, stock options, trophy wives, oil fields) than its current holder.
Somehow we’ve got to come up with a solution that’s equitable without overly empowering the next set of ‘masters of the universe’. Maybe it’s inherently impossible.
Dazzeetrader11 on November 18 at 9:26 p.m.
Tucks is a mental socialist…his words now unmask him. Not a chance tucky…you don’t have loans. You have what you have. Believe this son: you earned what you are…money or not. Now go sink into Buddhism or do what you do to remind you that money is unimportant. Spiritual tucksy..be spiritual. You’ll convince yourself that “everything is everything”…and you’ll feel better about how Obama is kicking your tail 10 times worse than Bush ever did. BUT you’ll feel better about it.
Us who are gainfully employed because we went to school and put in the time to build something and make money…well…we’ll pray for you.
Thank you and congrats to the Firemen. Verner got em to cave when they shouldn’t have. She has the money….she’s reneging on her deal with them and the police. But Spoakne thanks the guys and gals.
lewis8457 on November 18 at 9:39 p.m.
I don’t think for a minute they are giving anything up. Just another smoke screen. while mid managements get 340 thousand dollars in OT.
Want to show your faith giveback the OT money. No mid management private sector salaried worker gets paid OT.
Albert on November 18 at 9:42 p.m.
Once again before I climb into the proverbial sheets….THANK YOU!! FIREFIGHTERS for your character and integrity. Every time I see those paramedics coming out of a house or store I feel grateful. I feel the same way tonight.
Spokane_Citizen on November 18 at 10:07 p.m.
Daisy…in some weird way, have we agreed on something? Maybe you’re just slightly more sober and coherent tonight….
Dem/lib/governmental greed is much the same as Repub/corporate greed. Just different players.
As for schooling…I make excellent money, and put in plenty of time at graduate schools, but realize that not all wealth is worthy, nor gained in a worthy manner. Possession doesn’t necessarily equate to equitability. Some wealth is derived from production and expansion of wealth, while other wealth is simply related to grabbing a larger chunk of the pie. Do you understand the difference? Your answer will reveal a great deal about your personal ethics and intelligence.
O_my on November 18 at 10:09 p.m.
The firemen are my heroes!
Let’s just bash the police over & over again.
No need to break precedent on this forum.
Come on Spokane, keep up the good work!
west on November 18 at 10:35 p.m.
Cities all over the U.S. are finding they cannot sustain the wages safety unions demand, and get. Wages have to come down, to the revenue cities take in during the current great recession. But…down the road they will be screaming for all the give backs plus, at future negotiations. Unions did right by looking at the lower ranked firemen and giveing…..a tad bit back to the city. They are still pulling $80-$90,000 a year with several years on the job. And the mid management is still pulling $120-$150 thousand a year with no raise next year. Mid management..hundreds of thousands in over time pay..think about it….do private sector managers get over time and belong to a powerfull union? Nope..not one private company with management belong to a union..its against the NLRB for private companies management to form unions. But.gov unions are ok for cities police and fire..they are all underpaid,ya right, and without the unions, would be making poor wages like only $50,000 a year for the workers and $80,000 for the chiefs etc.This is why Spokane and hundreds of cities are in distress…wages for employees are skyrocketing compared to private employeers………
jimmy on November 18 at 10:56 p.m.
OK, full disclosure.. I am a retired City Firefighter,and I think my brothers and sisters have done the right thing. As far as all this talk about Batt Chiefs, there is no way to compare what they do to someone who is in mid- management at any other type of business. These men are RESPONSIBLE for every one on a fire ground, the Firefighters, the occupants or business owners, even the general public who show up to watch. I have put my life in their hands and would do it again in a second. My old friend Tom Lasorda said it best, ” Don’t pay the athlete the big money, give it to the Firefighters and the School Teachers.”
Spokane_Citizen on November 18 at 11:17 p.m.
Yeah, Jimmy, begin the self aggrandizement. Others do the very same things, yet the ‘public safety’ bargaining groups are the epitome of self ‘hero worship’.
Give us citizens a break….it’s getting very old. If your currently employed brothers aren’t willing to help shoulder the widespread economic suffering, then your brothers (who will never enjoy your exceedingly fat retirement package) should find another job.
You’re beginning to believe your own hype, but don’t expect the over-taxed citizens who fund your feather bedded contracts to buy into your delusions of grandeur. We could do quite well with significantly fewer of you.
Dazzeetrader11 on November 18 at 11:18 p.m.
Hey Citizen..kiss my royal rear son. I’m always sober and coherent. Always…
to the point though………..forget the morals and ethics. Has nothing to do with this decision. If you saw those wages of the cops and firemen.you would blanch. And the salary is only part of their compensation. Those guys are beating Spokane and other cities to the death financially.
They say things like “everybody else is doing it” or “I’m just trying to get mine” or “I take such risk, I should be making a pile of money” or…on and on…the worst is this”If they have the money I deserve it”.
Grow up. The MAYOR cut this outrageous salary deal with the firemen and cops. She’s spent like a maniac..spent other people’s money! YOUR money! And she whines after she puts out $12 million for empty buildings she fills in competition with the private secotr who pays taxes. Irresponsible spending and control of your money.
What’s not to understand? So she cannot make good on the crazy salaries! WHY..because those salaries are crazy! She made the deal for her campaign support…and under your very noses,. she’s doing it again as she prep for her run. This is all a show. All she had to do is declare 13 or 11 and the unions all go away. SImple…but she’s afraid it would be held against her even though she could simply pull the plug and begin new negotiations with ALL the unions.and I mean ALL.
She’s the root of these salaries and she should be more thoughtful with how YOUR money is handled. She should be fired for imcompetence. Sticky finger of the firemen and police should be slapped. Her reign would be terminated if the cops and firemen didn’t support her. No concessions were made. It’s a show for you to vote for her again.
What has she done? Nearly gone bankrupt because of her reckless spending. She should be terminated. Now THAT’S the only sober thing to do.
Scoutster on November 18 at 11:26 p.m.
Spokane_Citizen…
You’ll get used to her. It’s always like that here.
Spokane_Citizen on November 18 at 11:27 p.m.
Well, Daisy…so much for your obvious degree of incoherence.
Perhaps the questions I asked might be answered if posed prior to your window of inebriation. I ‘pray’ for the continued, but imperiled, health of your liver. Please don’t drive in your current state, girl.
Spokane_Citizen on November 18 at 11:31 p.m.
Scoutster…..she (and her type) are the reason I despair of enlightened democracy ever leading us from the dark ages. At this point she’d be lucky to find her bathroom down the hall.
misjustice on November 19 at 7:05 a.m.
@ Spokane_C; so much for finding a point of agreement and trying to move from that point to have a conversation/dialogue. But you gave it a great try, and are to be commended. Thank you.
eagleproducer on November 22 at 8:21 a.m.
Daisy: Not that it matters, but I’ll guarantee I have more education and net worth than you. Guarantee.
John_Fever_Richmond on November 30 at 10:30 a.m.
Get rid of that inept wannabe cop Capt. Kevin Smathers and his trusty lap dog Lt. Gregg McClatchey - that should save over 100 grand a year alone!!! They’re more like SPD material anyways!!!