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City Must Negotiate With Six Of Eight Unions This Year

By Kristina Johnson kristinaj@spokesman.com

Firefighters for the city of Spokane will get a 3.25 percent salary increase under a recently negotiated contract.

The pay hike means a firefighter trainee’s salary goes from about $27,366 to $28,255. A fire captain’s salary goes from about $55,956 to $57,775.

The one-year agreement calls for no work-rule changes and leaves negotiators heading back to the bargaining table this spring.

“We’ll start again in April,” said Mike Bacon, secretary of the 312-member Spokane Fire Fighters 29.

Meanwhile, the Police Guild and the city remain stuck in negotiations. Talks started in mid-1995.

“We’re going to mediation - that’s where we’re at,” said Russ Cox, president of the 267-member guild. He added the two sides have agreed not to talk about negotiations.

The firefighters ratified their contract last week, and it goes to the City Council for final approval Feb. 19.

The one-year contract leaves the city negotiating at least six of its eight union contracts for 1997.

“It’s very time-consuming,” said City Manager Roger Crum. “We don’t like to have everyone come up at the same time.”

Usually, city officials prefer locking unions into multiyear contracts because it is easy to plan spending. With city’s revenues sliding, a one-year contract is “what we’re looking at,” Crum said.

One 16-member union composed of the city’s public defenders and prosecutors has been without a contract since it formed three years ago.

“We’re at a standstill,” said Sam Faggiano, city prosecutor.

Gary Persons, the city’s employee relations director, was out of the office Friday and could not be reached for comment.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: CONTRACT TALKS At least six of the city’s eight unions - representing about 1,700 workers - will renegotiate their contracts at year’s end. Unions looking for more money include: Spokane Fire Officers Association, Spokane Fire Fighters Local 29, the Management and Professional organization, exempt employees, Local 270 of the Washington State Council of City and County Employees, and Police Lieutenants and Captains

This sidebar appeared with the story: CONTRACT TALKS At least six of the city’s eight unions - representing about 1,700 workers - will renegotiate their contracts at year’s end. Unions looking for more money include: Spokane Fire Officers Association, Spokane Fire Fighters Local 29, the Management and Professional organization, exempt employees, Local 270 of the Washington State Council of City and County Employees, and Police Lieutenants and Captains