SALEM — One day after the leadership of the police patrolmen's union voted not to bring a contract proposal before its membership, the firefighters followed suit.
Mayor Kim Driscoll said she was told late yesterday that the fire union's bargaining team rejected the city's offer and voted not to bring it to a membership vote.
The development is another setback to Driscoll's attempt to lower soaring city health costs by getting all of the city labor unions to give up $5 copays and accept other changes in the health plan by Aug. 1.
"Needless to say, I am disappointed that they would not even take this proposal back to the membership for a vote," the mayor said.
The firefighters didn't vote on the proposal because union procedures stipulate that the membership only votes on tentative agreements that have the support of the bargaining unit, according to Firefighters Union President John O'Leary.
The bargaining unit rejected the proposal, he said, because higher copays and lower premiums hurt the majority of members.
"What they're offering is actually taking a pay cut for most of (the members) ... and why would we enter into an agreement that is going to hurt our members?" O'Leary said.
The union is willing to keep negotiating but doesn't want the mayor to "dictate" deadlines, he said.
Driscoll said the city offered firefighters a "deal very similar to what other unions have gotten." She declined to provide details.
"This decision, in my mind, means they are rejecting the agreement," the mayor said.
More than half of the city's unions have accepted new one-year contracts that raise health copays to between $15 and $25, make other changes in the health plan, and provide small raises and other incentives.
Driscoll had hoped to get these deals done by the end of June, saying the city would save about $1 million and avoid budget cuts if union workers accepted the new health deals.
Driscoll said she will have to "go back and look at what our options are."
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