Firefighters won’t take $1k bonus

John Howell
Posted 10/21/14

Warwick firefighters are saying thanks, but let the city keep it, to the administration’s plan to give every member a $1,000 bonus this year. William Lloyd, president of Warwick Firefighters Local …

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Firefighters won’t take $1k bonus

Posted

Warwick firefighters are saying thanks, but let the city keep it, to the administration’s plan to give every member a $1,000 bonus this year. William Lloyd, president of Warwick Firefighters Local 2748, disclosed the decision of the union’s executive board in an interview last week.

Mayor Scott Avedisian budgeted a $1,000 bonus for all 800 city employees at a cost of $800,000 for the current fiscal year as a means of recognizing that all three of the city’s unions would be entering the third year of a no-pay-increase contract. A condition of the bonus was that the unions would not reopen the wage clause of the agreement for this year.

Lloyd said the union is not seeking to reopen the wage clause and that, by not accepting the bonus, the union is hopeful the administration will view the action as a good faith gesture upon entering talks for a new contract beginning July 1, 2015. Lloyd said overtures have been made to start negotiations as soon as possible.

Lloyd said the firefighters respect the offer (bonus), adding that this was a good faith gift but wants to move forward.

“Were not going to pursue the $1,000. It’s not going to change my life,” he said.

Mayor Scott Avedisian said he could not comment on either the decision of the firefighters or how the Fraternal Order of Police or the Warwick Municipal Employees Union might treat their $1,000 bonuses. He said the bonuses are part of negotiations, which have already started with all three unions.

Scott Small, president of the municipal employees, said he could not comment as long as there are ongoing negotiations.

While he did not cite possible uses for the $220,000 to be saved, Lloyd said, “I think there are better things to be done with the money. My members want to do what’s right for the city…we never asked for the $1,000,” he added.

Lloyd said union members are especially concerned about preserving their pensions and that was the motivation for the wage freeze of the past three years. Under the terms of Fire and Police Pension 1, which is now closed, increases in retiree benefits are linked to the wages of active members. By freezing the wages for three years, actuaries project the city has reduced the unfunded liability of the pension plan by $32 million over the life of the pension and eliminated a spike in contributions the city would have to make in the near future to maintain its schedule to fund the pension.

Earlier this year, Lloyd appeared before the council to make a plea for new equipment, citing the age and condition of some of the apparatus. In response, Chief Edmund Armstrong assured that neither the safety of firefighters nor the public was being compromised. William DePasquale, city planner and acting chief of staff, said that department’s demands must be considered in context of other department needs, including the replacement of sanitation trucks, police cruisers and myriad other equipment used by city workers.

At that time, Lloyd did not suggest bonus savings be earmarked for equipment, nor did he recommend it go toward construction of a fire station in Potowomut. On two occasions this year, bids to build the station at the site of the former Potowomut School exceeded the $2 million bond voters approved to build it.

Asked about the Potowomut station, Lloyd said, “From our point of view we’re covering this district anyway.”

Presently, Potowomut fire and rescue is provided under a $350,000 contract with East Greenwich. However, the Warwick department responds to most calls, especially in situations where East Greenwich is on another call. With a Potowomut station, Lloyd reasons, the city would save the cost of the East Greenwich contract. The station would be manned and equipped at no additional cost to the city by transferring one of the two engine companies now housed next to Aldrich Junior High School.

Some council members have their own thoughts on where the full $800,000 budgeted for bonuses should go.

Ward 5 Councilman Ed Ladouceur wants to see it allocated to road repairs in lieu of the $5 million road repair bond proposed by Avedisian. Ladouceur argues a stepped-up repair program is needed now, and that bonding, assuming voter approval, will delay the work by several years while costing taxpayers an additional $3 million in interest over the 20-year life of the bond. The council delayed voting on Ladouceur’s resolution, calling on the mayor to increase road repair funding last Wednesday, recommending that he first talk with the mayor.

Comments

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  • patientman

    Good move. They didn't ask for it. The unwanted bonus just widened the divide between the taxpayers and employee's.

    Tuesday, October 21, 2014 Report this

  • wwkvoter

    Huh? And if they DID ask for and get a bonus, that wouldnt "widen the divide between taxpayers and employees"???

    Wednesday, October 22, 2014 Report this

  • patientman

    No, if they had asked for and received the bonus it would have widened the gap between the taxpayers and workers. Refusing it showed a good faith effort. Not that the city has any money for raises. We can't afford to fix our roads. How can we find money for raises.

    Thursday, October 23, 2014 Report this

  • spope66

    At least I can see where part of the 5 million dollars that the mayor is keeping from the school department is going. The 5 million dollars a year since 2009 that the mayor has taken from the schools is being used fro everything but education.

    Thursday, October 23, 2014 Report this

  • spope66

    for

    Thursday, October 23, 2014 Report this

  • ..

    What about the $775,632 budgeted this year for FF overtime and unused sick pay? I get TWO weeks vacation at my job and if I'm sick, it comes out of my vacation time!! This is outrageous! With 13 new firefighters just sworn in along with more expected overtime for the Potowomot Fire station, what are Warwick taxpayers really saving? How many FIRES does Warwick face every single year? The percentage ratio of rescue vs fire runs is most likely 90/10 !

    Thursday, October 23, 2014 Report this

  • Unionthug

    Hey Sabrina, you know all those sick people (puking, coughing, crapping) that we bring to hospital 40 times a day, guess what they get us sick too.

    Thursday, October 23, 2014 Report this

  • Bob_Cushman

    "Lloyd said union members are especially concerned about preserving their pensions and that was the motivation for the wage freeze of the past three years."

    Now that my financial analysis of the city has been verified (sited in another Beacon article on10/23/14) to be accurate by professionals contracted by the city. I requested that I be given an opportunity to present my analysis before the city council and public.

    The following council members stated to me personally that they would support a resolution to schedule such a presentation: Councilman Merolla, Solomon, Ladouceur, Gallucci, Chadronet and Colantuono.

    I look forward to the council passing this resolution soon and scheduling this presention in the months ahead. Hopefully the Mayor and his executive staff will attend. In addition it is my hope that the rank and file union memebers in the city also attend the session so they can get a different perspective on the condition of their pension plans and the overall financial challengers facing this city that will effect the funding of these benefits, their future increases in wage compensation, and the overall funding of all city and school programs in the future.

    Thursday, October 23, 2014 Report this

  • Larrylawrence

    Okay, can someone please tell me how many fires were in Potowomut last year, how about 2013. When someone is having a heart attack on Lawndale Drive where is the rescue going to respond from. Not sure where all the rescues are located around the city but there is one in Cowesett if that truck is out of service where in the city will the next truck come from and how long will that take.?...maybe someone should ask the chief?.

    Thursday, November 13, 2014 Report this