Providence, firefighters reach deal; 4 platoons return, staffing reduced

PROVIDENCE MAYOR JORGE O. ELORZA and the city's firefighters union have reached a five-year agreement that resolves a thorny staffing issue and promises to save the city $15 million over the course of the deal. / PBN FILE PHOTO/STEPHANIE ALVAREZ EWENS
PROVIDENCE MAYOR JORGE O. ELORZA and the city's firefighters union have reached a five-year agreement that resolves a thorny staffing issue and promises to save the city $15 million over the course of the deal. / PBN FILE PHOTO/STEPHANIE ALVAREZ EWENS

PROVIDENCE – Mayor Jorge O. Elorza and the Providence firefighters union have reached a tentative agreement on a five-year contract that could potentially save the city $15 million over the course of the contract, according to an announcement Monday evening.

The tentative agreement, signed by the mayor and union leadership, will return the city firefighters to a four-platoon schedule with a reduced minimum manning of 88 workers per shift. Previously, the minimum staffing was 94.

The proposed contract will result ongoing structural savings, as well as savings in health care and dental costs, the mayor announced.

In comments, Elorza said the resolution was the result of work by Chief Justice Frank Williams, who led mediation efforts, as well as Firefighter Local 799 President Paul A. Doughty, Public Safety Commissioner Steven Pare and others.

- Advertisement -

“Working together, the city is now on a long-term sustainable path,” Elorza said.

Doughty said the agreement begins to address several significant issues. “It is a positive step, and I look forward to addressing the remaining issues with Mayor Elorza.”

If approved by the full union local members, the changes will go into effect Nov. 1. The tentative contract does not address issues that date to August 2015, when the schedule changes were instituted.

A lawsuit filed last year by the firefighters union has sought back pay for the increased work hours that resulted from the new schedule instituted by Elorza. On Aug. 2, 2015, he created a three-platoon schedule that had firefighters working 56 hours a week.

The union has held a position that firefighters are entitled to overtime for work over 42 hours a week, as stated in its previous contract.

No posts to display