After months of pushing for higher raises than other municipal unions received, the Uniformed Firefighters Association reached a tentative settlement yesterday that is essentially the same as the one New York City's main police union received.þþAt a City Hall news conference, union leaders and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced a two-year contract that would give the city's 9,000 firefighters raises of 11.75 percent. The raises would be applied retroactively to the firefighters, who have been without a contract for 29 months. If ratified, the new contract would increase a firefighter's starting salary to nearly $35,000, with a top salary of around $54,000.þþUnion leaders had argued that the firefighters deserved raises significantly higher than that because of the dangers of their work and because of the bravery they displayed during the Sept. 11 terrorist attack. Yesterday, Stephen J. Cassidy, the president of the firefighters' union, said, ÿNew York City firefighters deserve to be paid substantially above what they have been paid, and this is a first step.ÿþþThe union reached the settlement after its delegates' assembly voted 365 to 2 last month to reject a similar deal, which called for an 11.75 percent raise over 30 months, instead of the 24 months in the new agreement.þþAfter praising the firefighters, declaring that New York had ÿthe best fire department in the nation,ÿ Mr. Bloomberg said that the deal was the most the city could afford. ÿGiven the financial condition of the city, I think it's as good as we could possibly do,ÿ he said. ÿIt would be nice if we could pay them more. They all work very hard, but we have a limited amount of resources.ÿþþLast month, hundreds of firefighters were joined by celebrities in a raucous demonstration in Central Park where they insisted that the firefighters' salaries were far too low. There, many demonstrators pointed to the deaths of 343 firefighters on Sept. 11, 2001, in insisting that the firefighters should receive more than than the arbitration award of 11.75 percent over 24 months received by the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, the main police union.þþThe P.B.A., which represents 24,000 police officers, had sought pay increases of more than 20 percent. A three-member arbitration panel rejected the union's demand, noting that the city faced a deficit of nearly $5 billion.þþMr. Cassidy conceded yesterday that the firefighters were not going to persuade the city to give them more than what the police received.þþÿThis is the best deal we could get given the circumstances we found ourselves in,ÿ he said. ÿAnyone who thought the city would give us more than they were giving police officers was kidding themselves.ÿþþThe raises for the firefighters will cover the period from July 2000 through the end of June. City officials estimated that each firefighter would receive at least $7,500 in back pay. Negotiations over the next contract, which would extend back to July, are expected to begin soon.þþMr. Cassidy predicted that the ratification process would take eight weeks. ÿIt's my sense, yes, they will ratify the contract,ÿ Mr. Cassidy said. ÿWe'll recommend wholeheartedly that they ratify it.ÿþþIn July 2001, leaders of the firefighters' union had agreed to a tentative settlement along the lines of those accepted by most uniformed unions. It called for a 10 percent raise over 30 months, but after the Sept. 11 attack, the union's leaders and members soured on that deal.þþThe rank and file's reaction to the new deal yesterday ranged from resigned acceptance to moderate enthusiasm. ÿWe don't have a choice,ÿ said Mike Cioffi, a firefighter for seven years. ÿSince the police were offered the same thing, there was no way we were going to get more.ÿþþCity and union leaders said the agreement was much like the P.B.A.'s arbitration award, with some customized features. As with the police, the firefighters receive a 5 percent increase on the first day of the contract and a 5 percent increase, compounded, on the first day of the 13th month. In addition, the union is to receive a special fund equal to 1.5 percent of overall pay to use for raises and increments. þþOne city official said the union had agreed to use the funds to increase night differentials and the raises that firefighters get in their early years. This official, who insisted on anonymity, said this use would help the city attract and retain firefighters. þþ
Source: NY Times
