Firefighter's Union Calls For Fair Pay, Increased Staffing In Madison

MADISON, NJ — In response to recent calls from the local police union, Madison's career firefighters recently issued a public statement requesting a fair contract from the borough.

On Tuesday, Oct. 18, Madison Firemen's Mutual Benevolent Association (FMBA) Local 74 posted a statement on its Facebook page calling for pay and staffing improvements and forwarded it to the mayor and Borough Council via email.

That same day, the Madison Patrolmen's Benevolent Association (PBA) went public with its complaints in the same manner. Both emergency services unions have been in contract negotiations with the borough since their previous agreements expired in December 2021.

"We have been in negotiations for about a year and have been unable to agree on a fair and reasonable contract… Despite repeated efforts and meetings, the borough administration refuses to accept these serious issues our department is struggling with and has chosen to prioritize dollars and cents ahead of life and property. Even throughout the Covid pandemic when our FMBA members were understaffed and serving on the front line of EMS response, our service to the community never wavered," FMBA Local 74 said.

At a council meeting Monday evening, Oct. 24, candidate for Borough Council Lenora Clark brought up the police and fire negotiations. Clark stated that Madison should "make public safety a priority" by reaching fair union settlements for the fire and police departments.

Later in the meeting, Mayor Robert Conley spoke out about the negotiations.

"I can't share where we are, but I do liken contract negotiation to making sausage. It's not pretty for those that are directly involved with it, our borough administration and the labor leaders and the attorneys, and certainly, for those that are looking on the outside in, it can be very confusing. But rest assured we are committed to public safety," Conley said.

On Oct. 26, the Madison DPW Teamsters, like Madison FMBA local 74 and Madison NJ PBA 92, spoke out about having also been unsuccessful in negotiating a fair contract with the borough administration.

"We are looking for nothing less than fairness at the negotiation table with none on the horizon. In a time when the cost of living index has escalated to 8.3 percent… the department members can no longer afford to in the borough due to the high real estate costs and their limited salaries," Madison DPW Teamsters said.

The Madison Borough Department of Public Works is in charge of all department vehicles, removing snow and ice from roads, as well as other roadwork initiatives, and maintaining the water and sewer systems.

"The borough cannot continue to ignore the fact that our emergency services are not properly staffed or compensated fairly. It is time that the borough acknowledge these issues and fund emergency services properly," FMBA Local 74 said.