Pay freeze, some cuts - but no layoffs - for Batavia firefighters, police clerks

Batavia has gotten wage concessions from two more of its employee unions, in exchange for agreeing not to lay off workers in 2010.

The city council recently signed a one-year contract with Teamsters Local 673, which represents police department records technicians and community service officers. It also signed a one-year contract with International Association of Firefighters Local 3436, which represents Batavia's full-time firefighters.

Both contracts run Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2010.

In the past, the fire union contracts have run for three years, but the city wanted a one-year contract because it did not want to commit to the "no layoff" provision longer than that, Fire Chief Randall Deicke said.

The firefighters agreed to a pay freeze, and to less holiday pay. Previously, those on a 24-hour-on, 48-hour-off schedule would get eight hours of holiday pay if the holiday fell on a day they weren't working. If they did work that day, they received an additional 12 hours of pay.

Starting in 2010, they will only receive additional pay if they work the holiday, and it will be capped at four hours additional.

The contract applies to the 18 full-time firefighters.

The council also cut pay for part-time - or paid-on-call - firefighters by 1.5 percent for 2010. Alderman Tom Schmitz abstained from voting because his son, state Rep. Tim Schmitz, is a part-time Batavia firefighter. The council also cut funding 1.5 percent for the paid-on-call points bank. That bank makes payments to firefighters depending on how many work calls they take.

The police contract covers nine records technicians and community service officers. In exchange for not being laid off, those workers agreed to a pay freeze; and a 2.2 percent cut in their hours or an equivalent reduction in benefits.

The council also cut pay for other city employees. Some hourly employees will have their hours cut 5 percent.

Several water department employees lost four paid holidays - Thanksgiving and the day after, plus Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Other workers in the water and sewer departments will not be paid for eight hours of standby time for their first four on-call assignments of 2010.

The Emergency Services and Disaster Agency director's pay was cut 4.5 percent.

All this takes place as the city struggles with declining sales tax income and a projected budget deficit. Other city unions agreed earlier this year to wage freezes and cuts in exchange for a guarantee of no layoffs.