The number of London Firefighters earning a salary of at least $100,000 a year now exceeds the number of London Police officers earning six figures.
The newly released figures, contained in documents obtained from London City Hall, are part of the so-called Sunshine List — an annual release of public sector workers in Ontario that earn over $100,000 a year.
According to filings, a total of 239 members of the London Fire Department earned at least $100,000 in 2013 — which works out to nearly two of three members of the department, and up from just 105 in 2012.
By comparison, London Police announced Thursday their list of six-figure earners had increased by only one — from 191 in 2012, to 192 in 2013. That works out to nearly 1 in 3 London Police officers.
Deputy Chief Brent Shea cited overtime costs, and extra work being taken on by some officers as reasons for almost two dozen officers appearing on the list.
A similar explanation was used by John Hassan, President of the London Professional Firefighters Association, when trying to explain how their numbers more than doubled over the past 12 months.
“We did just receive last year partial salary payments for 2013, and 2012 – so that would’ve appeared on 2013 salary numbers.” he said.
“The department also hasn’t hired for at least a couple of years, so we’re down quite a few firefighters, and that has created quite a lot of overtime. So, with retirements not being filled… and people being off on short-term and long-term injuries, those people have to be covered as well. It seems to be a bit of an anomaly.”
The release of updated salary figures come at a time when the LPFFA is engaged in a drawn out arbitration process with the City of London on a new collective bargaining agreement.
Hassan thinks that should be of greater concern to taxpayers.
“This whole arbitration process may actually cost London taxpayers six figures, or seven figures, as far as the cost of city lawyers and experts they keep trotting out to show that somehow we shouldn’t be getting, what we think is a fair increase based on our bargaining history and that parity relationship (with London Police).”
A total of 548 city employees earned a six figure salary in 2013.
That includes 239 members of the London Professional Firefighters Association (up from 105 in 2012), 192 London Police officers (up fro m191 in 2012), 107 City of London management employees (up from 87 in 2012), 8 members of CUPE Local 107 which represents outside workers (none in 2012), as well as 1 employee each from Tourism London and the London Convention Centre (no change from 2012).
All publicly funded boards, ministries, and municipalities must submit salary disclosure information to the Ontario Ministry of Finance by the deadline to be published on March 31st, 2014.