By Steven Alford
The Corpus Christi Caller-Times
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The City Council heard an update about ongoing firefighter contract negotiations from city officials behind closed doors during the regular City Council meeting Tuesday.
Talks with firefighters will resume at 9 a.m. today at the Corpus Christi Fire Association Headquarters, 6014 Ayers St.
The meeting is open to the public.
For more than a year, union officials have been in negotiations with the city over nearly half a dozen issues including lowering health benefits and raising wages.
Tuesday’s briefing was a chance to update council members on the progress, Assistant City Manager Troy Riggs said.
“We’re still hopeful we can come to a resolution soon,” he said. “At the end of the day, both sides are probably going to have to come to a compromise.”
City officials met last week with union representatives to discuss both sides’ proposals after a fact-finding report supported firefighter demands.
Union officials have requested a health plan that mirrors what police officers receive. Firefighters pay nearly double in health premiums than their police counterparts, according to data in the fact finding report.
Firefighters have been operating with a new three-year contract for more than a year since talks began.
Both sides have come to the table with proposals and counterproposals during the more than yearlong negotiation between the city and the fire union. Fire officials last week requested a zero pay increase the first year of a three-year contract and a 4 percent increase the following two years.
City officials proposed a zero percent pay increase for three years, to which fire officials countered with a plan calling for a zero pay increase followed by 3 percent raises the next two years.
Copyright 2012 Corpus Christi Caller-Times