By Nick Martin of The Free Press
An arbitration board award which grants London’s 301 firefighters an 18-per-cent wage increase “was a sound award,” said Gord Sturdy, President of the Firefighters’ Association.
Wednesday’s release of the decision elated the firefighters while politicians were left wondering where they’ll find the money to pay the settlement.
Mayor Al Gleeson said in an interview board of control will have to search the city’s budget and contingency reserve funds to find a wage settlement that went about $300,000 beyond the increase for which city council had budgeted. “I have no idea and neither does our finance director,” he said.
A first-class firefighter who earned $17,909 in 1978 will have his salary increased to $20,243 retroactive to Jan. 1 and increased to $21,165 retroactive to July 1. Other members of the bargaining unit will have their salaries adjusted by a similar percentage but actual figures have yet to be calculated.
Con. Orlando Zamprogna said the city had budgeted for an increase of “about 10 or 11 per cent” this year. “It’s going to knock a large hole in the budget. We don’t have that.”
Community services commissioner Maurice Engels told board of control the arbitration board had been unanimous in its concurrence with the award. Con. Art Cartier immediately demanded that the city’s nominee, Toronto lawyer John Sanderson, be ordered to report to board of control his reasons for backing the union’s position.
The firefighters’ nominee on the arbitration board was Toronto lawyer Jeffery Sack and Windsor lawyer Richard Walker was appointed as chairman by the ministry of labor.
Sturdy said the firefighters were trying to achieve parity with other fire departments in the province after having their 1978 arbitrated salary increase of 12 per cent rolled back to six per cent by the anti-inflation review board (AIB). The settlement will bring London’s firefighters from 42nd in the province to about 10th with some departments still negotiating, he said.
Carol Moyer, administrative assistant to personnel director Gerald Hyde, told board of control that the firefighters had been trying to achieve parity with London police. A first class police constable now earns $21,400 and will be paid $23,034 effective July 1, 1980.
Sturdy said the firefighters have until Nov. 30 to file their contract demands for 1980.
Miss Moyer told the controllers that the settlement is comparable to other cities of London’s size. “I don’t think we’re too far out of line with municipalities our size,” she said.
She said city negotiators thought they had reached agreement with the firefighters’ negotiating team for a 12 per cent increase but Sturdy said the general membership rejected a settlement and went to arbitration.
The board of arbitration directed the two parties to continue to meet on the contentious issue of a minimum manning policy. a further hearing will be held if the issue cannot be resolved.
The city failed to win its case for compulsory residence within the city limits. The arbitration board ruled that firefighters may live as far as 24 kilometres from the city limits but “shall have regard to their potential for recall to duty.”
Gleeson predicted the ruling could lead to problems in firefighters reaching the city when called in during weather emergencies.
