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Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009 | 11:07 a.m.
Related stories
- Henderson, unions approve deals, minus pay hikes (6-10-2009)
- Henderson negotiating to scrap cost-of-living raises (5-6-2009)
- Henderson yanks car allowance as city tightens belt — again (4-21-2009)
- Henderson City attorney takes buyout (4-17-2009)
- With revenue down, Henderson approves furloughs, more buyouts (3-17-2009)
- Buyouts will save $6.8 million, layoffs aren’t off table (2-17-2009)
- City gets creative to avoid laying off employees (2-5-2009)
- Henderson shifts focus to redevelopment, shuffles employees (1-6-2009)
- State’s shortfall prompts Henderson budget concerns (1-6-2009)
- Henderson to offer buyouts to city employees; layoffs possible (12-2-08)
The Henderson City Council is scheduled to approve a new labor deal tonight with its firefighters’ union, the last of the city’s six collective bargaining units to renegotiate its agreement as part of Henderson’s budget-cutting efforts.
“These are tough times and in order to get through them everyone understands that we have to work together,” Henderson Mayor Andy Hafen said in a statement. “We are pleased to see everyone coming to the table to help bridge the shortfall that we are experiencing as a city.”
Unlike the unions representing Henderson Police Officers, Police Supervisors, and three Teamsters unions representing various other employees, however, Henderson firefighters will still be receiving pay increases.
Henderson’s other five unions have all agreed to forgo annual pay increases altogether for the current fiscal year, which began July 1 and ends June 30.
The deal with the International Association of Firefighters Local 1883, which represents Henderson firefighters, will reduce the 3.5 percent increase members received July 1 to 1 percent for the remainder of the fiscal year, effective Sept. 21.
The agreement, which was to end at the end of this fiscal year, would also be extended by two years, with pay increases of 1.25 percent for the 2011 and 2012 fiscal years.
The renegotiated agreement is expected to save the city about $2.3 million over the next four years.
“We’re proud that our firefighters stepped up and we’re proud that all of our bargaining units stepped up,” Henderson spokesman Bud Cranor said. “I think everybody recognizes that these are tough times. ... For everybody to come back to the table when they’re not obligated to do that, I think it says that Henderson has a great relationship with its bargaining units.”
In a statement, IAFF Local 1883 President Brian Wolfgram said his union readily accepted the new deal.
“Our firefighters’ households are affected like everyone else in the nation,” Wolfgram said. “With the costs going up and home values going down, this is yet another example of the sacrifices they are willing to make for their community.
“The firefighters are not receiving any benefit enhancements or non-monetary concessions from the city. I am extremely proud of our membership for overwhelmingly approving this concession and with no strings attached.”
Henderson Acting Human Resources Director Fred Horvath said discussions with the firefighters union were friendly and productive, but that the deal took so long to get done because the city was involved in renegotiating with the other five unions.
Horvath said that while the new agreements seem unequal on the surface, with the firefighters being the only group receiving a base wage increase this year, there are other factors in the other deals that balance them out. He said both police unions and all three teamsters unions received small, lump-sum payments in lieu of base increases, and there were other considerations as well.
Police officers, for example, received a small increase in their monthly uniform allowance.
“Each group kind of did their own thing,” Horvath said. “Each group has its own particular interests.”
With all six bargaining groups having agreed to lower or no pay increases this year, the city expects to save more than $10 million over the next four years at a time when Henderson is struggling to make ends meet.
The City Council has done across-the-board budget cuts twice in the last year, offered veteran employees a buyout, instituted a four-day work week for all city departments except public safety and suspended several construction projects as part of its efforts to meet declining tax revenue streams.
Earlier this month, the Council learned that June’s tax receipts were down more than 21 percent from the previous year, lower than the city’s most dismal projections had expected, which has prompted the council to consider cuts to municipal services.
I see these barely educated loafers all over Henderson, riding in the firetrucks, stopping at Wal Mart, basically dozing through the long day. We have no high rises, a few midrises, and a bunch of houses. Yet we need to support people with high pay, pensions and benefits whose job is basically to spray water on destroyed houses and show up at car accidents with absolutely nothing to do. Wow, so brave. Here, they're firemen, not firefighters.
What a joke. They are cutting their raise this year in exchange for extending the contract two more years with raises in each.
Let the contract expire and then set wages where the city can afford them. You can tell the council was supported by the fire fighters union.
The governor is meeting with the legislature to discuss the shortfall in revenue coming in BELOW the legislatures projections.
This means less money for everyone and it's about to get a lot worse. This is a stupid agreement.
LOL
The people of Henderson are no doubt grateful to the firefighters for accepting an increase in pay & benefits.
nednougat; You are either really pissed off that you didn't score high enough on the ff test or an absolute moron and don't have a clue what the fire service is all about. I've busted my a** in this profession for thirty years because I am committed to protecting the public through the provision of PROFESSIONAL fire protection and emergency medical services. Oh, that's right you didn't realize the firefighters provide lifesaving paramedic services. How many lifeless people have you brought back to spend more time with their family? I've done it dozens of times.How many times have you gone to work with you wife wondering if you will come home in the morning?
How many million dollar homes have you saved in a wildland-urban interface fire at extreme personal risk because of an oath to put ourselves in harms way? Those 'bunch of houses' are people's homes. High pay? Yeah right; my brother in law makes real money screwing people through payday loans...at least I can sleep at night (if I don't get woken up by alert tones)
Sure you might have busted your butt, so did all the other state workers, city workers and Nevada citizens who all took pay cuts. Just another example of tax payers money going to favorites.
Hey, Firechief, bet you could do the same job for 35G a year. Like schoolteachers. And you would, because what else are you going to do? You got a cushy job with all the bennies because you knew someone. Nednougat is right-it must be a long day/night hoping something happens to break the monotony....
firechief501: So, I suppose you've also been actively lobbying to ensure that our U.S. service personnel - who are literally living in life-and-death conditions on a 24/7 basis and are losing limbs and worse - are getting the same level of "hero" compensation that you so richly deserve? What bills have you sponsored to that effect?
We need to get our "heroes" in order, folks.
Local 1883 should start flying hundred dollar bills in front of their fire stations instead of the American flag.
What is wrong with all of you, did you not read the whole story... everyone is getting something, but there are so many haters for the fire dept out there not sure why, but you love them when they are there to help you. Everyone is so hung up on money and what they make for a living. I tell you what come and do just 1 shift with them and lets see if you can handle it, I think not. Walk a day and night in there shoes (24)hours, don't come home and see you kids your wife your husband, miss Christmas, Thanksgiving, school play. Get off the money and see what they really do for a living, Did you know that they go to your kids school and make sure that the staff knows what to do if something goes wrong, they do this every month, so lets stop saying that all they do is sit around waiting for something to due. They deserve your respect for what they do everyday.
Bottom line is we do need firemen. I do respect them. However they are grossly over paid. Period!
Walk a day and night in there shoes (24)hours, don't come home and see you kids your wife your husband, miss Christmas, Thanksgiving, school play. . . . They deserve your respect for what they do everyday.
-------------
Ah, you must mean our U.S. service personnel. And I assume you're the bill's co-sponsor? And it IS about the money.
fire capt wife.. give your head a shake.. the rest of the world is doing without. There are cut backs learn to live without as the rest of us have to.
It's not respect we are denying.. its the raises they demand..
Fire capt.. You don't want to hear what I have to say.. lazy bunch of people..
Serp.. what makes you think that we on the fire dept our not doing with out, again read the whole story.....
Teaser, the U.S Service Personnel has my respect for what they do, and putting there life on the line everyday, but that is the life and job they wanted to do and they knew the risk when they signed up for the job just like our firemen
I am so sick of everyone thinking that the fire dept make so much money it's just not true, we are a 2 family income just like the rest of the world.
I think that people who begrudge a man for putting meat and bread on the supper table for his wife and kids are psychopathic liars. More power (and money) for the guys who provide vital services to me and my neighbors!
Did anyone notice that all the unions got some kind of payout. Might not be a raise but some of them got "lump-sum payments." And did you notice that the non-union employees got nothing. What makes those union folks any more deserving?
Brandon here is the rest of the article:
Horvath said that while the new agreements seem unequal on the surface, with the firefighters being the only group receiving a base wage increase this year, there are other factors in the other deals that balance them out. He said both police unions and all three teamsters unions received small, lump-sum payments in lieu of base increases, and there were other considerations as well.
Police officers, for example, received a small increase in their monthly uniform allowance.
"Each group kind of did their own thing," Horvath said. "Each group has its own particular interests."
With all six bargaining groups having agreed to lower or no pay increases this year, the city expects to save more than $10 million over the next four years at a time when Henderson is struggling to make ends meet.
The Fire Dept took a cut just like the rest of the union did, the police took it another way, everyone took a cut and everyone got a pay raise as well as a pay cut..
As for police officers putting themselves in danger way more than a firefighter I would have to say no.. they both do....
So for all of the haters out there, the next time you need help because you just crashed your car and need medical or you home is on fire remember the fire dept will always be there for you, even tho you are not there for them, so when it's time for you to vote on more money for police and fire vote no!
check out the following site and take a look at what the total annual compensation is for alot of the firefighters. this does include benefits and salary. a fire engineer in jean nv making 273k a year???? its amazing what can happen when you and your buddy work out a system of sick days and coverage.....
http://transparentnevada.com/salaries/20...
Wait until you see what they get for their percentage pay at retirement Especially Bat. Chiefs and Capts. Not to mention all the sidework they've stolen from me through the years because they can do it cheaper with salary and days off I am not privy to. Heroes all though!
tatooed,
Great link!!!
makes it harder for these firefighters and their groupies to claim they are just barely getting by.
firecaptwife and her "we are a 2 income family just like the rest of the world" line of crap.
since the firecaptains here are making between $250,000 and HALF A MILLION DOLLARS a year, that must mean her second income bumps them well over the half million mark. struggling indeed.
and as has been stated. they are GROSSLY overpaid in this city where a firefighter is more likely to die driving to work in his $50,000 truck (with the obligatory "professional firefighter" tags) than he is to die in the line of duty.
the firefighters (the real ones) in cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and multiple other cities with hundred year old highrise and multistory buildings are the true heroes. and they do it for about 1/2 the kings ransom we pay our "heroes".
in vegas we have a bunch of overpaid pretenders.
enjoy it while you can, the public is starting to wake up to this gross waste of taxpayer money.
Break up the Henderson fire department into 3 districts.
Privatized each district......
The city would save millions.
The ambulance service is privatized.
You people are really something! If you don't like your life than change it, but to attack a working class of folks just cause they got a 1% pay raise is crazy! If I handed you $10 bucks, you would take it! Who do you think gave them that raise? Not themselves, why don't you look at our elected officials! We are the ones that voted them in! They are the ones that must approve these things and are the ones that should be accountable!
Why don't you ask the elected officials why they respond to a call with an engine and rescue and don't even transport a patient and have a private company that threatened to strike a few months back transport the patients. And when some departments transport, their crews is paid for filling out the paperwork -- (lvfd)
Why don't you ask the elected officials why there is so many duplicates of service. 4 separate fire departments, 3 police departments, all with different boundaries that they can respond to? Think about it -- are you really getting the closest unit, most cost effective or best service you deserve?
If you want to put them out of business it is really easy- don't drink and drive, don't drive period, don't smoke, don't do drugs, don't have a heart attack, don't leave your candles burning unattended, don't fall asleep when your cooking, don't have a pet, don't play with your gun, don't hit your wife or kids, don't jay walk, don't use extension cords, don't play with fire works, don't put a pool in, don't do your own home repairs, stay away from someone sick, don't lock your kids in your car and forget about them, don't play around with prescription meds, don't go to the lake, don't get pregnant, never go on vacation, stay off a bike and skateboard, don't by a motorcycle, don't fall down, exercise at least 20 min each day, eat right, smile and help out your neighbor!
If you are all worrying about a 1% pay raise in this day and age, you are worrying about the wrong thing!
To the state of Nevada....start taxing the hell out of Henderson. From firefighters getting raises to those ridiculous Tahoes the cops drive. That city has way more money than it knows what to do with it.
Ignorant comments made by equally ignorant people will always be the norm when you have "envy" as a motivator.
Another kick in the pants.. everyone else is taking cutbacks and losing their jobs and these guys get another raise. They are one of the highest paid FD's in the country and how many dangerous fires do we have? They go to a car wreck here and there but they mostly sit in the firehouse and play Xbox or hang out at the gym and get paid for it. Sick of these unions wasting our money just check out this site and see how much these guys make. When fireman make more than district attorneys and the director of aviation something is really wrong!
http://www.transparentnevada.com/salarie...
Ripit: the union leaders and members have to agree to the city's offer. In the end all the union members have to vote on their contracts and any changes to their contracts. So yes, they do give themselves a raise.
HFD...God Bless 'em! It can be a tough job but at what cost? Many don't realize how little they work- about 10 to 12 days a month. It is a 24 hour day though. Still, many have plenty of time to have contractor businesses, etc. on the side. You see it all over town...high end Bims and MB's or very nice late model trucks pulling a very nice custom boat. They put the "firefighter" plates on this stuff so it is easy to tell. Fancy custom houses...vacation cabins...it goes on and on.
But, I always notice that thousands will apply when a job like firefighter comes up!
The anti union folks are hilarious. After a lifetime of bowing and scraping
for some boss, getting gypped out of a decent salary and benefits while
the bosses get rich, these clowns want to rag on the unions who actually
fight for their members and win concessions.
Labor contracts get signed because both parties have an interest in
doing so. The city of Henderson decided that the quality of the firefighters'
services was worth the cost. Sure, they could find people to do the job
for 35K...what happens when property is destroyed and lives lost in a fire because
the city didn't want to pay industry standard wages and the firefighters
were incompetent? Giant lawsuits against the city of Henderson.
As far as US service personnel go, I admire those guys, but they
REALLY need a union.