Escondido Firefighters Agree to New Contract

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Firefighters in Escondido, California in the northern part of San Diego County ratified a new labor contract Tuesday. The new contract includes a 6 percent pay raise, a reduction in holiday hours and pension changes. They are the first city labor union to agree to pay their own pension contributions, saving the city $315,000, according to the North County Times. The changes will not affect how much employees receive when they retire but it will help shrink the department's $17 million budget.

Last year the average annual salary for a firefighter was $105,000. The increase would bump that figure up to $111,000, according to the paper. Mike Diaz, president of Escondido Firefighters Local 3842 declined to answer questions from the newspaper about decisions made in the new contract. He said a joint statement would be released from the city and the union but none was released.

The new contract was approved by firefighters 53-2. There are 85 members in the union so some were absent from the vote. The contract will run through December 2011, according to the Times.

Last month, a new two-year police contract was approved reducing employee compensation by $734,000 per year. According to the newspaper, officers will defer some paid holidays and give up uniform stipends.

Other city workers agreed to similar cuts last fall. These new reductions are in addition to compensation cuts firefighters and police officers took last spring. City 401(k) contributions for officers were cut along with longevity pay increases or "step increases", according to the Times.

One report shows firefighters will give up 46 holiday hours per year along with paying pension contributions, which is 9 percent of gross pay. Those changes will save the city $315,000 more than the salary increases, according to the paper.

The concessions by the union will help the city's shortfall. Escondido still pays $4 million per year covering pension contributions its employees are supposed to pay. Representatives from all city unions will try to help the city reduce the $15 million it gives to the state pension system every year to cover payouts to retired employees, according to the Times.

In three years, city revenues have fallen from $85 million to $66 million in three years.


Author:Barbara Brooks - FDNNTV.com