HUNTINGTON BEACH : Firefighters Seek Arbitration Delay

Leaders of the city’s firefighters union are calling for a delay in the arbitration of their contract dispute with the city because of a recently released list of possible Fire Department cuts.

At issue are $345,000 in potential spending cuts identified by Fire Chief Michael Dolder. Those reductions are among $5 million in possible operating cuts gathered by City Administrator Michael T. Uberuaga for the City Council as part of a nine-month effort to bridge a widening budget shortfall.

Although Uberuaga has repeatedly emphasized that the cuts are not being formally recommended and are only being made available for the council to consider, firefighter union leaders consider the suggested cuts in their department grounds for halting the arbitration process.

Dolder and all of the other city department heads were asked by Uberuaga to identify areas that could be cut, if necessary, to balance the city’s budget next year.

In response, Dolder suggested eliminating three firefighter positions and four paramedic vehicles and abolishing the city’s 25-member fire reserve force. The potential savings represent 2.2% of the Fire Department’s current budget.

“This clearly would amount to a reduction in fire services, in particular, slower responses by paramedics,” said Curt Campbell, president of the Huntington Beach Firefighters Assn. He noted that if the cuts were made, they would contradict the city’s effort to strengthen its paramedic service through its citizen-funded FireMed program.

“We’re asking to cut off the impasse process until we discuss this matter with the city,” Campbell said.

Although the City Council earlier this year adopted a policy exempting the police and fire departments from spending cuts, Campbell said he still fears the potential reductions may be enacted.

“I have read enough between the lines . . . to know it’s a serious proposal,” he said. “Regardless of the verbiage, it’s not impossible to be cutting positions, and I’m astounded that the fire chief would propose those changes.”

City officials have not yet met with union leaders to discuss the issue, and state arbitrator Louis Zigman has yet to formally decide whether to suspend his effort to resolve the contract dispute.

The union’s 144 firefighters, captains, fire engineers, paramedics and dispatchers have been working without a contract for more than a year. Negotiations hit a formal impasse last July, and Zigman was called in to intervene.

Negotiators from both sides have met three times with Zigman, and at least one more meeting is needed, said William Osness, the city’s personnel director. Next week, the two sides are scheduled to meet without the arbitrator present, Osness said.

The association is seeking a three-year package calling for 24.5% pay raises for firefighters and fire engineers and 22.5% pay hikes for all other union members.

The city has held firmly to its offer of a 21.5% pay increase for firefighters, 20.5% for fire engineers and 19.5% for all other members over three years.

The city earlier this year awarded 19.5% raises over the next three years to all other city employees. City officials say they can go no further on their offer to the firefighters because of the current budget deficit, estimated to be $5 million.

Firefighters complain that they are poorly paid in comparison to their counterparts in neighboring cities. Huntington Beach firefighters currently earn between $31,000 and $40,080 each year.