Fire Department Union Agrees to Two-Year Wage Freeze

The Madison Fire Department, through its union F.M.B.A. Local #74, has agreed to take a two-year wage freeze in its negotiations with the borough and its council.

The collective bargaining agreement between the two sides was authorized in a resolution that passed on Friday night at the beginning of a special meeting the Borough Council held to hear comments from the public on the defeated school budget.

Administrator Ray Codey said the agreement was for two years, and contained a zero percent pay raise for 2010 and 2011.

He said the contract is currently the lowest settlement in the state of New Jersey for any uniform service.

"It is a testament to the leadership of the fire department, Chief (Lou) DeRosa, and the 13 individuals who voted unanimously for the contract," Codey said.

The fire department is the first of the major union work groups in Madison to agree to a freeze during a budget season that has been particularly trying for the council with the state of the economy, a reduction in state aid, and the defeat of the school budget which the group has had to work on over the past few weeks to come up with a revised tax levy amount.

However, it was also revealed during the special meeting later that the teacher's union has also agreed to take a freeze for the upcoming school year in its ongoing negotiations with the Board of Education.

"On behalf of Madison, we thank the F.M.B.A. members for their sacrifice in sharing the pain during these financially challenging times," said Council President Jeannie Tsukamoto, who was also acting mayor during the meeting with Mary-Anna Holden away for the week. "The terms of this contract represents the Governing Body's philosophy and position regarding all union contracts. We thank the F.M.B.A. for setting a good example and leading the way."

Tsukamoto was joined by other council members thanking the fire department for its decision.

"These are difficult times, and to have the firemen recognize that residents of Madison probably, by the far majority, have not seen a raise in their own salaries in a couple of years, some people are out of jobs, this is a big step and I can't thank them enough for what they are doing for the community of Madison," Councilman Robert Conley said.

The decision may also aid the borough in its ongoing negotiations with other unions.

"This is the first bargaining group that has come to the table," Codey said. "They have arbitration rights which they have waived to have a third party review. They themselves have saved the borough and tax payers the process and legal cost of such a negotiation."

Codey also said the group has agreed to major changes on the menu of health benefits provided by the borough, and have also extended significantly the time period a beginning and maximum salary . He also said that at the end of the current agreement on January 1, 2012, the department would be contributing 1.5 percent of their salaries toward health costs.