SWAMPSCOTT – After a long bargain between the Fire Fighters Union Local 1459 and the town, a contract agreement was finally passed by the Select Board on Wednesday. The settlement includes increased firefighters’ benefits, a certain hire age limit, and a cost-of-living adjustment.
The three-year Fire Department Collective Bargaining Agreement was debated during the board meeting and considered expensive, according to board member Peter Spellios. There would be a one-time settlement of $4,500 for each firefighter regarding manning cases, overtime staffing cases, and $500 for service as Board of Health agents during the pandemic.
In May, Jim Snow, president of the Fire Union, told The Item that issues firefighters were facing involved duties that were beyond their job description. However, everyone was making sacrifices during the pandemic and they accepted those changes.
“However, our number one issue is manpower. That is our safety net, and the town violated our contract and twice reduced our manning in the winter months. We are in negotiations attempting to settle those two issues,” said Snow.
There will also be a $1,000 annual hazardous stipend for each member of the fire department starting in January, which will become $1,500 in 2024. The town recognizes that firefighters respond rapidly to fires and many materials in burning buildings and vehicles now have what’s called forever chemicals or fire-retardant chemicals that potentially expose firefighters to hazardous toxins, according to the Select Board.
The contract agreed to eliminate the stipend position of department clerk and backup clerk, which are two union member-held jobs. The positions will be replaced with full-time civilian administrative assistants to the chief and deputy chief. There will also be a new age cap on hiring based on the contract, which will be 35.
An adjustment of the three-year cost of living is included in the contract. Given that there is a significant increase in consumer price indexes, the Select Board considers it reasonable. It will be a 2.75% wage increase in FY23, 2.5% in FY24, and 2.5% in FY25.
“We’re settling our differences and moving forward. We think it’s a decent deal,” Snow said in an interview following the meeting.
Some board members supported the contract despite feeling uneasy.
“I think this is the most uncomfortable I’ve been with any contract I’ve had to consider. It’s going to put a strain on the town budget, ” said Chair of the Select Board Neal Duffy.
According to town accountant Amy Sarro, the total cost of the contract in FY23 will be $315,712. In detail, one-time payments are $171,000, one-time health agent payment is $19,000, the hazardous stipend total will be $33,000, and other miscellaneous items will add up to $92,712. Vice Chair David Grishman said the contract will use a considerable amount of ARPA dollars, which are not recurring.
Spellios voted no and expressed his displeasure with the contract. He accused firefighters, “I have reasons that lead me to not support this contract…Even though no one worked these overtime shifts, the Union grievance sought approximately a hundred thousand dollars in wages to be paid for fire to firefighters for shifts that no one ever worked.”
However, the Select Board noted that there was no reasonable alternative to the situation.
