Firefighters, Village Move Towards a New Contract

The Village of South Orange and the South Orange firefighters moved closer to a firm and final contract which would be in place through 2013.

On April 8, the Township of South Orange Village executed a memorandum of agreement with FMBA Local 40. That memorandum, signed by Village President Douglas Newman, was authorized at the April 11 Special Meeting of the board of trustees. At that time, Ordinance 2011-05 was heard and passed on first reading. After second reading and public hearing, both scheduled for April 25, the matter will be voted on by the board of trustees.

Assuming that the agreement is formalized by both sides, the Village and the firefighters, a contract would be in place for the first time since Dec. 31, 2007, when the previous contract expired.  The new contract is both retroactive to 2008 and in effect until Dec. 31, 2013.

 The retroactive agreement, which affects non-officer firefighters, is identical in pay scale to the contract recently agreed to with the police, for previous years' work.

The salary increases are as follows:

For firefighters on Step 7, the top of the guide:

Year                                     Increase

2008                                    2.75%

2009                                    2.75%

2010                        `          2.5%

2011                                    2.5%

2012                                    1.5%

2013                                    1.5%

For firefighters on Steps 1- 6:

Year                                     Increase

2008                                    2%

2009                                    2%

2010                        `          2%

2011                                    2%

2012                                    1.5%

2013                                    1.5%

Newman noted that in the event of changes from the state level, both sides agreed to be bound by those changes.