RTM Approves 3-Year Contract with Greenwich Firefighters

The Greenwich Representative Town Meeting approved a three-year contract with the Greenwich Firefighters Local 1042 by a vote of 126-56-5 Monday night.

The pact is retroactive to July 1, 2012. The vote included additional appropriations to cover retroactive pay hikes for firefighters, who've already ratified the contract that will expire June 30, 2015.

The approval is the culmination of more than 18 months of negotiation which resulted in the town and the union in mediation. The settlement was reached in June as both sides faced state labor mediation.

The contract includes a retroactive pay raise of 2.65 percent effective July 1, 2012 with raises of 2.6 percent, effective July 1, 2013, with a 2.5 percent raise, effective July 1, 2014. To cover the cost of the retroactive raises, the RTM vote also included the appropriation of $44,061 for 2012 and $93,408 for the current 2013-14 fiscal year.

The contract also calls for firefighters' health deductible and health savings accounts have a $2,000/$4,000 deductible plus prescription drug co-pays once the deductible is reached, with no increase in the town contribution to the employee’s health savings account.  

The union covers about 90 firefighters—all fire personnel except the fire chief and assistant fire chief.