Trending
The Dunkirk Common Council unanimously ratified a fire department contract that one council member called "a little complicated to us," while the city attorney said it was just a matter of "switching the dates."
The pact calls for 4% raises for city fire department employees in 2027, and 2% raises in 2028, according to a copy of the council agenda provided to the OBSERVER by City Hall.
An emergency medical services training officer position is also added. The assistant chief position is removed from the agreement.
The agenda mentions the "switching of dates" that Elliot Raimondo referred to at the council meeting. It basically says the contract will now run from Jan. 1, 2025 to Jan. 1, 2029, instead of Jan. 1, 2023 to Jan. 1, 2027.
The agenda item says pay increases were zero in 2025 and 2026.
Prior to council's ratification of the contract extension, Councilwoman Natalie Luczkowiak asked for an explanation of it. "It's a little complicated to us," she said.
Raimondo replied, "We have an existing contract with the fire union... we negotiated with the state mediator for this (new) contract. Both parties came to the table with large proposal packets. The mediator ended up distilling that down to the tentative agreement we have from Jan. 1, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2028. Specifically, that agreement provides for modification of our current contract to change the dates... (it's) really just switching the dates to the 2025 through 2028 contract."
"I apologize for the complicated nature of it," Raimondo added.