Swampscott firefighters facing contract renewal at tough time

SWAMPSCOTT – Swampscott firefighters could find their feet held to the fire when it comes to renegotiating a union contract.The current three-year contract between the town and firefighters expires on June 30. The existing contract between the firefighters and town includes a provision for a 2.5 percent raise on the last day of the contract.According to one firefighter, who asked not to be identified, the department made a lot of concessions to save the town money when it negotiated its last contract, including changing its contractual minimum staffing levels.In 2007, layoffs forced the union to agree to running three groups of eight men and one group of nine, which put an engine out of service six out of every eight days.”Instead of being able to run three pieces of equipment we can only run two during the winter months,” the source said. “We also gave up a training officer position and consolidated the fire prevention officer position so that freed up an entire firefighter’s salary.”Town Administrator Andrew Maylor said he has had some preliminary communication with several unions regarding a pay freeze, but he declined to comment on any communication he had with the firefighters union.”I do not discuss collective bargaining,” he said. “I don’t bargain through the media.”The contract between the town and firefighters union is the only major municipal union contract expiring this year. Maylor said the police, Department of Public Works, library workers and clerical employees contracts all expire on June 30, 2010.Police Chief Ronald Madigan’s contract with the town expires on June 30, 2009. Madigan said he has already informed Maylor he has budgeted himself a 0 percent pay increase for FY’10 even though he has not negotiated a new contract yet.”Given the fiscal constraints the town is under we all have to make some sacrifices,” Madigan said.Even though his contract does not expire until June 30, 2010 Superintendent Matthew Malone has already announced he would not ask for or accept an increase in compensation above his current salary and benefits for FY’10. He said he would not accept a performance-based increase in salary in order to help preserve positions and maintain the instructional core in the upcoming fiscal year, which would have been approximately $3,000.