By J.M. Brown
Vallejo Times Herald
Copyright 2007 The Times-Herald
All Rights Reserved
VALLEJO, Calif. — For weeks, the Vallejo fire union has successfully kept four firefighter-paramedics targeted for possible layoffs from taking jobs elsewhere.
But because City Manager Joe Tanner refuses to promise they won’t be let go if the city loses a contract dispute in upcoming arbitration, the firefighters could be gone by Monday. That’s when the Hayward Fire Department expects an answer to offers it made earlier this month.
Tanner said Thursday that no firefighters will be laid off if the city wins the labor dispute, but even with projected retirements and other savings, he said he still can’t guarantee some firefighters won’t be laid off if the city loses arbitration over $4 million in cuts.
“We’re going to hold steady until the binding arbitration is resolved,” Tanner said.
With all the uncertainty, fire union spokesman Jon Riley said union officials have told the firefighters, “You have to make the best decision you can for your families - we’re urging you to stay on. There is no reason for them to lay anyone off.”
Riley said the union believes laying off firefighters will hurt the city, regardless of whether it wins or loses in arbitration over cuts to the contractual minimum daily staffing level. The city will still need firefighters available to work; otherwise, overtime - now about $3 million annually - will continue to rise, Riley said.
Tanner announced the possible layoffs of 13 firefighter-paramedics in April but rescinded the notices weeks later, saying the city and union needed a “cooling off” period over the cuts ordered to help reduce a $9 million deficit.
Tanner said 10 to 12 fire employees may retire or leave on permanent disability by the end of the year. The savings would help reduce the number of firefighters needing to be cut if the city loses, but he said cuts would still be needed.
Tanner said he would also brown out fire stations and make layoffs in other departments to realize City Council-approved savings last month. Tanner said it’s cheaper to pay firefighters overtime than full benefits on the jobs marked for layoff.
“If the city loses, we would be forced to break the union’s back by requiring (fire) employees to work so much overtime (to meet minimum staffing),” Tanner said.
Riley said firefighter-paramedics are already working at multiple stations because the city has cut 18 positions in six years. Firefighters commonly work 96-hour shifts, then take off 48 hours before turning around and doing it again, which Riley called, “dangerous.”
City and union negotiators are scheduled to meet with the arbitrator in mid-August. A judge has asked the panel to reach a decision by mid-September, which is when Tanner says the fire department budget will dip into the red again.
Hayward Fire Chief Larry Arfsten could not be reached Thursday to determine whether he might extend the offers until arbitration settles the dispute.
Richmond Fire Chief Michael Banks said he wants to offer jobs to as many as seven other Vallejo firefighter-paramedics, but will await the arbitrator’s ruling.