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CONTRACT
On Friday, March 2, 2007, the UFA Executive Board announced the details of a tentative agreement with the Office of Labor Relations. This is far and away the best contract negotiated by any municipal labor union with the City in this current round of bargaining. It is a win-win for all Firefighters because the package has something for everybody. It looks to the future and creates a new avenue of compensation for our membership which has been the goal of many fire unions across the nation. We believe it will become the benchmark that other fire services seek to duplicate.
The base pay for starting Firefighters moves from $25,100 to $35,000. The new starting salary affects hires after April 1, 2007. Everyone hired prior to this date will enjoy the benefits of the past contract and the increased salary. The agreement is retroactive to August 1, 2006, and runs until July 31, 2008. The base salary after five years on the job would also be raised to $68,475, from the current $63,309 and there would be additional longevity increases beyond. A 5-year Firefighter who is CFR-D and a chauffer (including RSOT) will make $89,561. A 20-year Firefighter who is CFR-D and a chauffer (including RSOT) will make $92,970. There are no givebacks in this contract.
The new contract is also groundbreaking because in addition to the other items in this no-concession package, we secured a 12% increase in the base pay for special assignment duty to Haz-mat, Haz-mat Battalion, 4 Haz-tech companies, the Squads, and Rescue Companies (a total of 17 Companies). This increase is at no cost to our members. It is free money.
The UFA has been seeking specialization pay since the 1960's. For example, on December 1, 1997, the UFA negotiated Chauffer pay. CFR-D compensation was added on April 15, 1998. Had both of these been accomplished years earlier, these differentials would be significantly higher today.
The 12% specialization pay puts us on parity with the NYPD's Emergency Services Unit, which receives the pay rate of Detective Specialists. As noted above, in this round of negotiations we reached 17 Companies at 12%. We then attempted to split the 12% and expand the pool of those who would receive an increase. The City rejected this on the basis of parity with the NYPD. It is this Executive Board's goal to expand the pool of Firefighters receiving specialty pay.
The UFA Executive Board's charge is to deliver the best possible contract for our members and this contract does that. Every member of the Executive Board supports this contract unanimously. Why? Because the contract is good for the entire membership! When the UFA can put extra money in the pockets of brother Firefighters at no cost to the membership, this UFA Executive Board says - we have to take it. - Remember we set the pattern; we got all the extras! If the pattern is set by another union, our future is out of our control. We would be stuck with some other union's deal or arbitration and get none of the extras unique to this contract.
NYC Firefighters have one of the most dangerous jobs in the country. Let's get this contract done! Let's move forward as the leading labor union of the City's uniformed services, get the raises and retro money in our pockets, and start negotiating the next contract. Here's a breakdown:
Total value of the package is 9.75%
Additional specifics of the contract are:
- 4% base salary increase retroactively effective 8/1/06
- 4% (compounded is 4.16%) base salary increase effective 8/01/07
- $1,000 Annual Longevity increase for 5, 10, 15 and 20-year steps
Chauffeur Differential increase to 3%
- 5 Rescues, 7 Squads, 4 Haz-tech Companies, Haz-mat Battalion and Haz-mat-1 will receive assignment differential of 12% of base salary
- $1,100 Fire Marshal Uniform Allowance annual increase
- $80 per member annual increase to the UFA Retired Firefighters Security
Benefit Fund
- Line-of-Duty Prescription Drug Card (no out-of-pocket expenses)
Non-Monetary Extra Benefits
- Elimination of Extra-Departmental Employment filing requirements (except existing PA/ID 12 of 1967 provisions for volunteer Firefighters, conflict of interests, or while on medical leave or light duty)
- Contract re-opener language protecting the UFA if the PBA breaks parity in either collective bargaining or the arbitration process (PERB). We have no such protection unless this contract is ratified.
The UFA ratification process is the longest in the City. Many questions will be raised. A meeting was held with Battalion Delegates on March 13th and the vote was 33 "For" and 17 "Against." A special Delegate meeting for informational purposes was conducted on March 20th. These Delegates will convene on April 19th and their vote will determine if this contract is sent out to the membership. Each member has the right to cast a "Yes" or "No" vote. Ask your Delegate to vote "Yes" to send this contract out to the membership. You, the rank and file Firefighter, should determine your own fate. The UFA Executive Board and I are anxious to answer your questions or explain the details of the contract now and throughout the ratification process. We welcome the opportunity to meet with you or to visit your firehouse.
Stephen J. Cassidy,
President
