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MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG AND UFA PRESIDENT STEPHEN CASSIDY
ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT ON ENGINE COMPANY STAFFING
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA)
President Stephen J. Cassidy today announced that the City and the UFA
have agreed to modify the staffing provisions on City fire engines, and
the UFA
has dropped litigation against the City. The agreement will reduce the
number of five-firefighter engine companies to 40, down from the current 63.
“Over the last year and a half, we have been forced by the City’s
fiscal crisis to cut billions of dollars from our budget,” said Mayor
Bloomberg. “Every agency, regardless of its function, has had to cut
its budget. The mission has been to do more with less and everyone has
risen to the challenge. Today I am pleased to announce that we have
modified our
contract with the UFA to help us keep doing exactly that. I want to
the thank UFA President Stephen Cassidy for his flexibility and commitment
to his
members
and to the people of this City. I wish also to thank Labor Commissioner
James Hanley and his staff for their tireless work on behalf of the
City.”
“I want to thank the Mayor and Commissioner Hanley for their help
in reaching this agreement,” said UFA President Cassidy. “The
safety of firefighters was a key factor for the UFA Executive Board
in agreeing to this settlement. The alternative, we believe, could have
compromised safety,
both for firefighters and the public. I’m hopeful that, as we get farther
and farther away from September 11th World Trade Center-related medical
leave will continue to decline and we will have full restoration
of five-firefighter staffing levels.”
“This is an appropriate compromise that will benefit both the UFA and
the Fire Department,” said Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta. “We
will be able to maintain the flexibility in the staffing of five firefighter
companies, while not compromising the integrity of out 1996 agreement
with the UFA relating to medical leave levels.”
Under a 1996 agreement between the City and the UFA, the Fire Department
had the right to reduce the number of five-man engines to 11 if the
Department’s
sick leave averaged more than 7.5% for a one-year period. The one-year
average medical leave currently exceeds 8.5%. The modification allows
for additional five-fighter engine companies if medical leave declines
as measured at designated
points through the term of the agreement, which expires on July 1, 2004.
Conversely if medical leave rises or does not meet the targets, the
City reserves the
right to make the changes permitted under the current contract.
The UFA
has also agreed to drop seven separate legal challenges, including a
lawsuit to stop the City from reducing staffing, as well as administrative
litigation and labor proceedings to overturn the City’s recent decision
to close six fire companies.
Currently there are currently 197 Engine
companies in the City, 63 are staffed by five firefighters and 134
are staffed by four firefighters.
Contact: Ed Skyler/Jordan Barowitz (212) 788-2958
Francis X. Gribbon (FDNY) (718) 999-2056
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