The arbitration process between Rocky View County (RVC) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) has come to an end, but the war of words has persisted between the two parties.
General manager of community services for RVC Ted Gard said the county will be laying off 12 firefighter positions, which will result in the elimination of 11 members of Fire Services, but that each will be able to apply to join the paid-on-call firefighter pool.
“The county was faced with an economic problem that would soon see one in every five county tax dollars go to fire services,” said Gard, “despite the fact that half the county is served by a volunteer force. We needed to find a solution that allows us to operate within our 2013 budget, and we did.”
IAFF vice-president of District 6, Lorne West, feels very differently about RVC’s decision to make cutbacks to Fire Services, saying the county painted a picture of ‘doom and gloom’ if a new award (contract) resulted in an increase to costs.
“The award does not do that,” said West, “yet they (RVC) now say the costs are unsustainable, despite it being the costs they agreed to without providing a county proposal otherwise. The arbitrator did not award anything the union sought that would have caused an increase in cost.”
Gard, however, said that West is ‘stretching the truth to fit his reality.’
“The award, which we just received this morning, had components within that ruled in favour of the union and some which ruled in favour of the county,” he said.
West said the county is being ‘misleading and disingenuous’ to say it had no choice but to lay off firefighters due to rising costs, as the arbitrator did not award any of the items that were in dispute in favour of the IAFF that would have increased the county’s costs.
West indicated that with the new agreement, which expires Dec. 31 of this year, a top-level firefighter will earn slightly over $42/hour and part-timers will earn 60 per cent of that rate. Gard said the IAFF was well aware of the challenges being presented to RVC with regards to Fire Services, but offered no alternatives or solutions.
“If Mr. West can offer solutions that will permit us to meet our budget and control the long-term cost increases to fire services without the necessity of layoffs,” Gard posed, “I would welcome his input.”
West and the IAFF are now calling on the county to reconsider its layoffs to Fire Services, claiming the move puts public safety in question.
“We urge the county to reconsider what appears to be a mere retaliation to a fair arbitration decision,” said West, “a move that will leave citizens and businesses less safe.”
Gard countered by saying the county’s changes to Fire Services’ operations would not pose a risk to public safety, and that RVC’s plans were reviewed for safety by a former member of the IAFF.
“Our plans are comprehensive, and not simply about laying off firefighters,” said Gard. “We have outlined a range of changes that ensure our fire services are operated in a safe and affordable manner.”
Some of those changes include the use of emergency response vehicles to provide quicker response times and lower costs than deploying a fully-equipped fire engine; and no longer responding on non-emergency medical incidents where paramedics and/or ambulance personnel is sufficient.
Gard said the increases in cost to Fire Services for RVC – an average of 80 per cent each year according to Gard – are almost exclusively a result of rising staff costs, and that those increases do not result in a safer community.
“The union has essentially priced themselves out of the market,” said Gard.
West believes that arbitrator’s decision preserves public safety and does not increase the costs for Fire Services.
“The (county) agreed to wages and other terms of the contract and is now crying foul,” said West. “The math does not add up.”
RVC budgeted $7.3 million for Fire Services in 2013, but have said that amount is expected to increase by $1 million.
