Fighting for Fire Department furloughs
Employees of the Philadelphia Fire Department got a contract award from an arbitration panel on Friday. Mayor Nutter has announced that he'll appeal the decision. We're still processing the details, but there was one part of Nutter's statement on why he's appealing the award that jumped out at us:
Fighting for Fire Department furloughs
Employees of the Philadelphia Fire Department got a contract award from an arbitration panel on Friday. Mayor Nutter has announced that he'll appeal the decision. We're still processing the details, but there was one part of Nutter's statement on why he's appealing the award that jumped out at us:
Unlike the contract for members of the Fraternal Order of Police, this award does not give the city the right to furlough, which can be used to help fund the added cost of a contract.
The city did get the right to furlough police (which basically means it can require them to take days of unpaid vacation). But the city hasn't actually furloughed anyone in the police department yet. So why is the administration making furloughs such a priority in the firefighter contract?
We see a few possible explanations. One is that the administration may still want to use furloughs on police -- Nutter has said the decision to do so will be the police commissioner's -- and is trying to acquire the same flexibility with respect to all departments. After all, things with the budget could get worse yet.
Another is that the administration sees the fire department as a better target for furloughs than the police. Nutter has clashed with firefighters before, imposing rolling closures on fire houses. He may think the department is a reasonable place to look for cost savings.
The maneuver could also be political. Nutter was criticized by some for not appealing the police award because it had high short-term costs. By appealing this one as the 2011 primary approaches, Nutter can argue he is fighting hard to find cost-cutting tools for the city.
Finally, Nutter may want furloughs in this contract to set a precedent for his negotiations with the other municipal unions. The city still has two contracts to settle, with its blue and white collars workers. It probably wants the furlough option included in those. The police and fire contracts are often viewed as a blueprint for the municipal union deals; if both include furloughs, it seems more reasonable for the other unions to have furloughs, too.
Do you see other possible explanations? And how important do you think it is that the city be able to furlough firefighters? Let us know.
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The City can already lay off city workers by contract language in DC 33 and 47. The furlough issue there is not even needed. But ... Nutter will then have to justify why he is laying off city workers, and reducing city services, just when he is starting to run for re-election so he is looking for a more politically correct way of characterizing what he already has the power to do.— union guy- politicians aren't union but yet they NEVER get laid-off or furloughed. so why does everyone think it is just the unions that are the problem? city council received a raise and are eligible for drop. are they union?— bill634
union guy: furloughs and layoffs are not quite the same thing. There is also qualitative difference between 2000 fire fighters taking one day off and laying off multiple fire fighters for prolonged periods although in the latter case the fire fighters would be eligible for UC. Do a little math: one day at the rookie rate of $120/day = $1.5million. Layoff 50 rookie firefighters for one year = $1.5 million.— nebulus
This is also about health care payments. This article doesnt mention that, however helath care payments are the way out of line. Union members are going to have to accept a similar deal to what the police got. In other words, contribute to thier own health care costs. Union benefits are bankrupting the city...- the city doesnt need firemen to take furloughs...if Nutty sees the city in a financial bind he cant close police stations...but he can do more of the "rolling" closures of firehouses
problem solved— IcanTakeit - bill634: politicians do get furloughed. All non-union city employees, the mayor included, are taking unpaid vacation days (read: furloughs). They just usually still come to work on those days, so you don't notice.— Valley Twin
- Nutter has attacked the fire department from day 1. Budget cuts to the fire department equals rolling brownouts, which affect public safety. Police budget cuts gets a cadet class cancelled that has yet to begin. Doesn't seem fair. Nutter wants furloughs for the fd so he can use it to cancel out the awarded raises that was just awarded.— The Bright 1
