Toledo fire union contract ratified

DOWNTOWN TOLEDO - Toledo City Council members approved and ratified Toledo Fire Union Local 92 's contract with the Finkbeiner administration in a special meeting Tuesday afternoon.

Council approved the fire union's contract 9-1. Councilman Tom Waniewski was the only council member who voted no.

"Approving this contract today does provide a savings," Councilman Waniewski said. "It does not provide the savings we need. We're on a slow-motion wreck that everyone has seen coming, but instead of stopping at the red light five miles back, three miles back or two miles back - the city kept chugging along."

Local 92 union members approved a three-year contract with the city July 23 after two days of voting. An estimated 356 firefighters voted, about 78%, according to union officials. The contract passed by a 60-40 margin.

Local 92 has been working under an expired contract for more than a half-year. The city's fire department's last contract with the city expired Dec. 31, 2008 - the same day the Toledo Police Patrolman's Association's contract with the city expired.

Even with the savings from the fire department contract, the Glass City's 2009 budget deficit still stands at somewhere around $8.5 million.

The three-year deal ratified by council includes a cut in pension contribution by the city, and a decrease in health insurance contributions. There is also a cut in fire overtime.

The fire union contract with the Finkbeiner administration is expected to save the city $1.8 million through the end of 2009 and $3.74 million in 2010. The nearly $4 million savings in 2010 is contingent upon city administrators hiring 40 new firefighters to reduce fire crew overtime.

Though it's a good start, Mayor Carty Finkbeiner said more needs to be done.

"We have a good quality of life in the city of Toledo, even with all of the budget problems we still look and need to be clean and safe," the mayor said in council chambers Tuesday. "But we can't keep it that way if we are going to fight about nickels, dimes, and quarters."

Mr. Finkbeiner was referencing his idea for a trash fee hike and a change in income taxes. Council hasn't been for the hikes in the past, but Mayor Finkbeiner said the trash fee and income tax hikes are necessary.