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The Uniformed Firefighters Association declared an impasse in its contract negotiations with the city Tuesday, forcing both parties into arbitration.
According to the UFA, city firefighters have been working without a contract for 40 months. The union’s last wage increase came three months before the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
In announcing the impasse, the UFA sharply criticized Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and cited "foot dragging" on the city's part during a state-mandated mediation process that has been carried out over the last 13 months.
In a statement, the union said: “For the past three years while the mayor refused to give New York's Bravest a contract and a fair wage, they have continued to put their lives on the line. It seems that the blue collar, working class of this city, like our firefighters, cops and teachers are not entitled to a timely contract and a fair wage in the eyes of this administration.”
The UFA, which represents 8,900 members, says New York City firefighters are among the lowest paid in the region.
NY1’s Amanda Farinacci filed this report.
Uniformed Firefighters Association President Stephen Cassidy says he's
had it. His union is going nowhere in contract talks with the city, so now he's headed for binding arbitration, asking the state's Public Employees Relations Board to get involved.
Cassidy says he had no choice.
“We've been negotiating with the city for two and a half years, we've been in mediation for over a year, and the city of New York has again failed to respect and acknowledge what firefighters do," Cassidy said Tuesday.
The firefighters union is doing what the police union wound up doing in its latest dispute with the city. Arbitrators gave the cops a raise of just over 10 percent over two years in exchange for some work changes and pay cuts for newly hired officers.
Cassidy says his union was prepared to take a similar deal, but the city wouldn't go along.
“They asked for concessions above and beyond what was given by the mediator for the [Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association],” said Cassidy. “Their concessions are outrageous what they've asked for. It's not going to fly. No one will make this happen in the future.”
The city's Office of Labor Relations will say only that "labor contracts are best settled at the bargaining table, and the city has been and continues to be ready to negotiate any time."
Cassidy says the lack of a contract is the sign the mayor doesn't respect firefighters, and says, not surprisingly, his members won't be supporting Bloomberg's re-election.
“He’s carved out a niche where New York City firefighters do not respect this administration,” said Cassidy. “Over these past four years he's made it clear he doesn't care about public safety."
If the police officers’ union serves as a model for just how long this process can take, that means the firefighters could be working without a contract for another year and a half.
It's not likely it will take that long - there have been some agreements between the city and the UFA. But it is likely they won't settle the dispute before Election Day.
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