Firefighters union touts concessions

Clark County firefighters will finish voting today on a proposed contract change that a union leader calls a strong concession and one commissioner dismisses as a zero gain for the county.

If the proposal passes, it would go before county commissioners at a date yet to be scheduled. County management wouldn't comment on the offer.

The firefighters union has been criticized for not lowering its pay raises the way the police and county employee unions have to help with the county's budget crunch.

Firefighters at 40 stations are spending three days voting on a proposal that calls for reducing this year's cost-of-living raise to 2 percent, from 3 percent.

In return, each employee would get an additional two vacation days, and the labor contract would be extended two years to mid-2010.

The Fire Department would forgo a station security program, freeing about $4 million in capital funds for other projects such as a new fire station.

The $5.2 million in savings would add up to more per employee than the other county unions achieved with their concessions, argues Ryan Beaman, president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 1908.

"The concessions are the greatest of any of your unions or associations," Beaman wrote in a letter last month to county leaders.

Some firefighters are also eligible for 6 percent yearly step increases. Most fall into the category of Firefighter II, in which they receive the step increases until they reach the top of the pay scale, which is about $74,000. After that they receive only cost-of-living increases.

Firefighters recently received a 1.75 percent annual wage increase to help cover increased contributions to the Public Employees Retirement System.

Beaman did not return repeated calls from the Review-Journal.

Commissioner Steve Sisolak contends the additional vacation days would cancel the savings from the reduced pay raise.

"I don't see where there's a concession. It's a wash," he said.

Lowering the cost-of-living raise by 1 percentage point would save $1.2 million for the year, but the two vacation days would cost $1.3 million when you figure the overtime normally paid to firefighters filling in for co-workers, Sisolak said, citing union estimates.

Sisolak questioned how scrapping the station security program would help, because that money must be spent on Fire Department projects. It can't be transferred to the general fund to pay operating costs, he said.

Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani disagreed, saying the capital money could cover projects that would be paid for with general fund dollars. That operating money, in turn, would be freed up for other services, she said.

Giunchigliani said she set up a meeting between Beaman and County Manager Virginia Valentine in June after the two sides had been at an impasse for months.

During those talks, the most significant change was Beaman lowering his demand to two additional vacation days, whereas before he had asked for four or five days, she said.

"I would consider it," she said of the current offer.

Giunchigliani said she was displeased that county management has not set a time for commissioners to review the union's offer. Managers may disapprove of the offer, but it's not their call, she said.

"It's up to us to accept it or reject it," she said.

The proposal comes months after the county employees union agreed to lower its cost-of-living raise to 1 percent from 3 percent.

The police union agreed to forgo its entire cost-of-living raise, which averages more than 3 percent yearly.

Still, Beaman contends his proposal would trim $7,600 in costs per union firefighter. The county employees union gave up $1,700 per worker with its concession, and the police cut a deal that actually cost the county $900 per employee, he contends.

Beaman's argument rankled a police union leader.

"Frankly, his numbers are blatantly wrong," said Chris Collins, executive director of the Police Protective Association. "I'm trying to stay out of this fight. Ryan Beaman keeps trying to drag us into this fight."

The police union saved the county at least $6 million with its concession, Collins said. In return, the police asked that the maximum paid leave they can cash in at retirement be increased to 1,250 hours from 1,000, which is still only half the paid leave that firefighters can cash in, he said.

Sisolak said he doesn't like how Beaman is diminishing other employees' sacrifices to make his offer look superior.

Beaman is including the $4 million in capital money as part of the savings per employee, Sisolak said.

Using that logic, the county could count the $13 million it will save keeping the low-level offender jail closed for a year, he said, arguing that the delayed opening affects police and corrections officers.

Contact reporter Scott Wyland at swyland@reviewjournal.com or 702-455-4519.