Idaho Mountain Express: Firefighters union, city sign contract

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Firefighters union, city sign contract

Past legal battles smoothed over by time, new administration

By AMY BUSEK
Express Staff Writer

John Rathfon, president of Local 4758, left, Mayor Nina Jonas, center, and City Clerk Sandy Cady review the city’s two-year contract with the firefighters union. Photo courtesy of city of Ketchum

    Local 4758, the Ketchum Professional Firefighters Union, and the city of Ketchum entered into a contractual agreement Friday, July 11, at City Hall.
   The two-year contract, which begins with the new fiscal year on Oct. 1, largely focuses on finances, union President John Rathfon said.
   “There have been no raises in eight years,” he said.
   Rathfon worked with Ray Silver, former interim city administrator, on three local firefighter salaries that will soon need new funding. A federal SAFER grant has funded the positions for the past couple of years but is set to expire soon. While that can’t be negotiated via contract, since it involves city funds, it has been addressed in the budget plan for fiscal year 2014-2015. Currently, two positions have been accounted for in the preliminary budget, with money redirected out of the fire and ambulance reserves, but the third position—with an annual salary of $86,000—remains a matter of continued council budgeting and discretion.
   A news release from the union states that Local 4758 agreed to changes in health care benefits and schedule alterations, as well as a wage increase of less than 4 percent to make up for years without a raise.
   The union came to terms with the city under former Mayor Randy Hall last year, but not before legal concessions were made. In 2011, the city found itself slapped with a lawsuit from Local 4758 when it changed the terms of employment for city employees, refusing to engage in collective bargaining. Under Idaho state law, employers may terminate employees at-will, or without reason. The two parties eventually agreed to a form of at-will status in their contract, but with a “progressive discipline policy” the city must undergo before pursuing termination.
Amy Busek: abusek@mtexpress.com

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