Elgin union to extend no raise, no layoff deal through 2011

Elgin leaders are prepared to extend the fire department's "no raise, no layoff" contract, which expires Dec. 31, for another year.

"What we'll do is just change the dates and keep everything the same," said Elgin City Manager Sean Stegall, adding that the fire union deserved a lot of credit. "(Last year) it was on the verge of being incredibly (contentious). It's a dramatic change from a year ago. From the very beginning here, it's been a cooperative effort."

The city council will consider the one-year-pact, which will run from Jan. 1., 2011, through Dec. 31, 2011, on Wednesday night.

Last February, after working more than a month without a contract, the union agreed to a one-year deal with no raises in exchange for no layoffs.

The deal also reduced its minimum staffing levels from 36 to 34 firefighters; these two slots were being filled by firefighters working rotating overtime and saved the city about $750,000.

John Fahy, an Elgin firefighter and union president, said the union held a vote last week and 85 percent of them favored the new deal.

"They were willing to hear what we had to say and we were willing to listen to them," Fahy said. "Obviously, it's something the members want to do. They realize it's tough economic times out there."

Fahy also credited Stegall and Fire Chief John Henrici for helping to facilitate contract talks.

Stegall said the early fire union pact will allow the city to begin early negotiations with the police union and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73, which represents public works employees. Both unions have contracts that expire at the end of 2010.

Since November 2008, the city has had layoffs, attrition and early retirement, raised fees and cut spending on festivals and other areas to help balance the budget without dipping to reserves or raising taxes.

Although some conditions have improved, Stegall could not make a blanket statement that the city would not have any more layoffs.

"Since we cut so dramatically over the last two years, our ability to reduce staff absent a major service reduction is very difficult to imagine," he said. "I don't foresee there being any more staff cuts. But as much as I'd like to rule it out, I can't. Nor would I ever."