INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The impasse hearing with the International Association of Firefighters Local 2201 concluded at 11:12 p.m. Friday with commissioners siding with County Administrator Joe Baird’s recommendations on nearly every contract article in dispute.
The initial sentiment of firefighters present in the chambers was that the terms have little chance of being ratified by union members, unless they accept the many trade-offs in the deal simply to get their first pay increase in more than seven years.
The parties and their attorneys worked straight through nearly 14 hours with no lunch break or dinner break, taking only a few five- and 10-minute respites to use the facilities. After nearly 12 hours, 50 firefighters and supporters were still present. Roughly 25 union members who had been at the meeting since 9:30 a.m. stuck it out to witness the conclusion of the proceedings.
Firefighters from the City of Deltona and the City if Melbourne also stayed till the end to help their union brothers from Indian River navigate the complex issues in dispute. Many of the issues analyzed over the day-long meeting were actually staffing and management issues that could have been resolved had the firefighters, Chief John King and Baird’s staff been able to cooperate at all over the past three years since they began negotiating this contract for 2013.
Union members will vote over the next week on whether or not to accept the County’s terms as adopted by the County Commission as the court of last resort in the impasse.
Should the union not ratify the contract as presented for budget year 2013-14 which was at impasse, changes would be imposed for that one-year period and the parties could be tossed back into negotiations next month on the 2014-15 contract.
Should the union ratify the modest raises, coupled with the further hits to their benefit plan, the County and the union would be under contract through Sept. 30, 2016 with a re-opener only for wage increases in the fall.
This story will be updated.
4:08 p.m. Friday
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The Board of County Commissioners voted Friday against two proposals put forth by firefighters to address long-standing disputes with regard to health, safety and county-issued equipment.
More than 300 people, including firefighters, family members and fire department supporters showed up for the meeting. Firefighters from several neighboring counties, plus members of the Vero Beach Police Department, Indian River County Sheriff’s Office as well as city and county lifeguards stood in solidarity with the firefighters.
Differences between the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2201 and County management with regard to vacation time, salaries, incentive pay, shift exchanges and medical/disability leave are still to come on the agenda.
With regard to the issuance of safety equipment and uniforms, firefighters asked for a set replacement schedule, but the Board voted to keep decisions related to these County-issued items at the discretion of management at the battalion level.
After a three-hour discussion about poor working conditions and disrepair at several of the county’s fire stations, the Board voted 4-1 to reject the inclusion of a provision in the labor agreement requiring the county to provide a “healthy and safe” work environment. Commissioner Joe Flescher was the lone dissenter, supporting the firefighters’ request.
Nine firefighters from Stations 1, 7 and 10 have tested positive for mold-related microtoxins in their blood, claiming workplace exposure.
At the urging of Commissioner Peter O’Bryan, contractors making repairs to water-damaged fire stations have been put on notice to complete their work within the next couple of weeks.
O’Bryan told the staff to make sure the contractors “get their rear ends in there and get those repairs done so we can move forward with the remediation.”
On Tuesday, commissioners will consider an emergency agenda item of moving firefighters in the affected stations to temporary housing. It is unclear whether that lodging would be in the form of tents or modular buildings such as portables.
The meeting is expected to continue into the very late afternoon or early evening.