By Andrew Abramson
The Palm Beach Post
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Pay raises are returning to the West Palm Beach fire department after the city and fire union agreed to a three-year contract Monday. The deal avoided the need for the commission to force a contract on the union, which seemed likely a month ago.
In October, City Administrator Ed Mitchell declared an impasse between the West Palm Beach Association of Firefighters and the city. But the union president, Tom Wesolek, kept negotiating, believing the sides weren’t far apart.
In a deal similar to the contract with the police department, the city returned 5 percent annual raises to firefighters in their first 10 years in the department.
In return, the firefighters gave up $2.6 million in state contributions that otherwise would have gone to their Share account, a separate pension account that firefighters receive after they retire.
The fire union also agreed to reduce its multiplier from 4 percent to 3 percent, meaning a firefighter now will have to work about 35 years, instead of 28 years, to receive his maximum annual pension of 92 percent of salary received. The salary is an average of the final three years in the department. Also, firefighters’ starting pay has been reduced 5 percent.
“Working longer and collecting pension for less time is the model for pension reform,” Wesolek said.
After a year of ill will between the city and fire union, in which Wesolek sent letters to city commissioners warning that residents’ lives were at risk because of city cutbacks, Commissioner Bill Moss praised the two sides for coming to an agreement.
“This gives us an opportunity to mend some bridges,” Moss said.
Copyright 2012 The Palm Beach Newspapers, Inc.
All Rights Reserved