BRIEF OF INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS LOCAL 1158
(J.:
. '.~.
~
a
. r N ']' 11 Je .MA T't'E:n OF ll\.U)[\t)S E: U l':nVJ;; EN
IN TI;:H.N.A'IIONAL ASSOCLA'I.'ION OF
1:-1 PI,' ';"[C I r'[' F'l) S' 1. "X' A I 1, 1 c 8'.
~.' ._\. J _t .. .,.t., '_. _. "-.1 ~\_',. . _Jf....,., .,~ _....J _.).
,J.nc1
CITY OF CLEAR\VATEH
~~'_~'_'~_'__._"_'W""__~""___'_-_____"'_____.'_'~__" '~__'_"._#__________~'_---.,~_.__.__
~
13 !~JEF OF
INTF:HNl\'IJONAL-ASSOCI1\TION OYIIHE FIGHTJ;-;HS,
L,OCA .L115 0
----,- -..---, ~._.-,--- -,-..------ ~-,-.-----.. .-.-------.-..---...,,---------._ - -___.._._.___.__~__________ _.c__..__.__.___._____ _
./\.H .BITH /\ TION I> ]':.FOH E.
51) e~~~-i.aJ 1,,1'.]. s te r
P ro[e s SOl' Don.del \'/ilcox
~
TERRY 1\. FunNELL
DOi\AHEY ~; FUHNELL,L;~\v~'crs,
Ch;'.r t co r tc'd
Stiiu: One - Legal Arts Build!.!lg
:)01 S-ou.th }'t. lIarl'ison ;\vcnue'
Cle~1rwater, Florirla
La\'lyer [oi" the Union
CO-"I ~-03.\?i>r.'
'"
~
~
"
Thi.s arbitration was lH;ccssilalcd by the City of Clcanvaler
offering to the Cle;.ll'\';r"d.:et. Fire Fightcl's, in the cour.s.c of rnany
coH\:ctivc lJa.rgaining s,-'s':;lons. a /,erCl lllCrC2.:C(' 111 cconOtTllC itcl'ns
,
d(:spll.e I'? lllonths :;piralin;; inflation \vithou1: \'..,J.g('. inc:r,\;t';cs and the
rcaliL)r of the passage of an z~dclit:ional fiscal YC~lr\cviLhout needed
econcHnic adjus trnent. ,
Thi~; Brief is necessitated by the City's rcfus;-tl to argue the
l;:tlatter orally in order to proceed to a sp:,.'.cly decision.
OhvifHlSly, nlhn/of the 30 itcrns at 1111paSSe contained in joint
exhibit lonn, occurred because the Cily in response to these DIllon
r equ est s, polite 1 y T (: ph <:'.d "!l~_~~~.: liJ~E_J!r_()E()_~~.<:l~ 'or j n e f f c ct, no. l\
sirnple rCi'lJ1ing of tlJOSL' itctns at inlpassc will d<~n1Onstratc the logic
andlbe .t1\:'( (~ssily of the Union request.o \\Thy, [or in!;tancc, should the
Union be bound by a no-~;trikc provISIon o[ the contract signific;tntly
harsh0r th;:tn the l;LW of the State of Florida?
\Vhy should the City deny
the Union ,."",'cry standard and orclinclry l)rev2.ili!~::. right:, CL1USC \\'hich
elirnirlatr.:.:s the necessity for a contract conLlining virtually tl1ou~>~Lnds of
iter!l:! Lra(Htiona:l.1y enjoyed by the Fire Fighter:.. ~'.lChdS profess iunal
Lirne for Union officials as was cnCOllLt~~cd by the aLLorncy for the City
in his recornniendation to the Union P1"<':;i.cknt to tak(~ p"'ofc,,;!:\ional t.i.nlc
- 1 -
j.,
'.
II): ,-,,:
.,
~
~
off fpr pTcpara,tion of Ibis arbitl'atioh? A.ll<li why, particulClrly after
the Union had all'('~l(ly agreed to the counterpart of such a clause in
signing off an cxtl'i:nlcly lib(;ral rn:loagC'lilcnt.r; rights 1HOvi.sion to the
bcn",,fitof the eily? Why shodd th(~ CiLy c:<knd to the Unioh (). pro-'
vbion, dealing \villi the reprcscut;~tivcso[ Ih(, parties only if it contained
'a clau,,;e~;everdy lirniting Fire Fighters I Cons l.i.tut.io!1,al l'ights to free
speech and the righ t to ligititnat.ely appro~tch their dlll)r elected officials?
Vihy should professional ,Fire l;'ighters be required by the City to give
up valuable training titne in orclc r to scruhflool' S, rnow la.\vll s and do
clectrica,l and plul~-,bin-g work, \vhen the City has crllWS 11\Ore prop,>rly
rnann(:dai1d equipped already p(,r[orl1\ing these 'functions [or e\Tl'l:yothcr
department o[ th! City?
\Vhy should th(~ Cily make a shanl. of these
entire proceedin,~s by r.efusing to agree thaLa contract, if rca,chcd~
should be retroactive and binding on the successors to the partie,s? C<~n
it be denied that the Union's proposed rc~;arcling sickness or injuries on .
duty, is both jur;t and tC<lSOlElblc when one consi(!.~r~; l:h~lt FircF'ight:crs
face the rnost haz<Lardous unifornlccl o~:cupaLi(jn in the world? Th(~
.Na.ttOJ.lilllrcncl is one of rece:3sion frorn an ;<rehaie; 56-hour woi-k week.
Many enlightened Florida cities have already reduced lhl~ work week of
-2 -
'r,)
,.
~
~
their .Firc~ l"ightc~l'nas derllonstritl<;d by the Union. In light of this,
th(~ Clc;~nv;:d.cr FireFighters have rctluestec1 a rt~asollahle reduction
in their work \'/c(:k but t~1(~City, r,,,the r th;Ul discust;in~.: ~;(~riClunly such
aprop(~s;d, with thein, 11a3 said "YOll o,:1y work 115 da.ys per year';,
hoping Jhat no one \\Iill d(~tect that those 115 cl"ys arc 24-hour days
equal in time to 3L15 eight-ll'..1ur shifts worked by other City ernployces
or as it actually occurs, 115 eight-hour (22.)TS plus 115 sixtc(~n..hour
days. The City says to th~Fire Fighters no equa.lity with police; no
pay for arson invcstig:ttors; no cost of living D.c1justrnent; no re,lson-
'able callc.in or hold-over p:c:.y; no acting pay; no comprehensive pla.n
of hospi~.::l OJ: c1entaJ 11lSUr2.HCC; no cunlr;lctuxztl provuilon [or filling
~va-e-~ies; no h.::lcph(lllc~S; no lead pay; no lni..ca.ge allowance; no shirt
cleaning; no conlpensa.tion for ruunng your personal property ~n the
course of )'o,u1' official (JuLies; no--no--no-'~. And, In the face of all
t;." . .
tI.l C'S 'e ':-,J.. n e (1 tll tIe s,
the City cL:!irns that nFinJllng .1S its sole prerogative
inl.he faccof a showing uy tb:e Union that \v'hile the City reaps h,'>.l[.,'1-
million dollars a year for the protection of a. huge new fire CO"lt1'o1
district, it do,,~s so with six less InCH In:lnit: had toprotl~ct just the: City
of Clc,tnv<J.lcr, thereby rliLL;~,ir,g the eff,~ctivcness of Uhf Fire l:'ightcrs
and in C r vas in g III c i r h 2. Z ;.t ,'\ r d ~; .
-3 -
"
".
,
.-
~
-
'J'hc Union will not, in lhi.~) Brief, insult the j\l'bit:r;ttor by
reha.shing fhe entirely of the h:sf,inl<HlY or e;.;hibits. It \vas ob:;crvcd
lhr(lu~{hotll U\l' cot:rse of thl~ llC'<lrlng, fhallhct\rb1t:ralol' \vas
extl'l~nlely attentive, took copious not(~s,<tnd consist.ently brought
the experti ::; c of hi s ba.ckg round to bea.r incvaluaiing tc:, ti rnony and
cxbibits.
The Unionls requested entry-level salary of$11, 500.00 was
. specifically found by Dr. Barry to be a wag c level tha,t the risingco s t
of living would rc'asonalJly rea.ch within thl~ contctnplatcc1 contract YC:lr.
Dr" 13(1).-1')' fUl'ther t:..~~;tificd, ho\vt>ver, th,l1: if a cost-oi-Jiving aclju:::;lrnent
were to be rnade a part of the contract, tb.::n the entry level should be
$10,800.00, recognizing th;l1: such wage \'/onlc be adjusted by the City
throughout Lhecontract period" The City did no!: clairll the inability 10
pay this wage request, nor did it dispute in ar,y fashioil Dr" 13a1'r)'.5
findings that of the City's actual ilvaiLlblc funds carried into fiscal 1975-'
76 in the a nlOllnt: of $1,294,525.85, there
\r ~ 'l~" #,
". ........") ..~
~~_l~r~~~(Ig_(~ ~_~~~ S~l1:l?~~l:? () [
~. 1 (-t c 2. r- (0
:0: __!__}_?-.:~,. ..::~::?_~_J _-,-"
;\
Although the City attctnptcd to SIlO\''- that ccononllC considerations
cxh:m(L~c1 to the Fire Fight:r.:rs would advers('ly affect other City ernploycC's
-4-
\"
,,' ('t'",
.~.
I~
..~
arH1 C;U.lSt.; other W;Lgt~ dCln;\nds, the Al'bi!T.'ltor 1irnitl::c] COnllYlcnts
propl:dy to only l;'ire and })olice. 1.n r{:u'n,t arT)i Lr;ttion b.;lwecn the
City ofSt. Petersburg a.ncl its Fire: Fight:.:rs, which Ll.d)ilr:,l.ion was
pending at the titne of this Hearing, the SpC'cii:tll\'litster specifically
found the .sarnc positio:l urged by the s:ullcattorne)f to be without
merit <Lnd not a prope1'hasis for cO;lsid.era.tion. (See page 10, attach-
Inent "A ").
The Union, in four days of arbitration, offered for con.sidl:ra-
Hon 6 \vitnesses, including an expert economist. 73 exhibits in sl~pport
ofils requests and ,15 l!luch. info nnation explaining the ;tcluctl opei'atioll
oE the Cl..:an,'a.ler Fire D::parlrncnt as ,,'as consisLc~nt with the t:ilne
available.
The Cily offered no witncss(~s, 14 c:-J.ibits includin.g 2 neWDp<lper
articles that \vcrc published durin::; the arbilration, anclcloscdwilh the
Altorney for the City- st<:.lti.ngIJI can't 1'e:ll11' think of "nytlling othc:r tha,n
that".
l
'fhe ~iclion of the City in producing no tcstirnony and virtually
no Incaningful docunH~nts 15 puzzling. Does the City by thelt posihon
indicate that the decision of the J\rbitrator i~:; of little: irnportatlcc in its
final posture with its Fire Fighters? \Ve cCl'Ulinly hupe not and \volll:cl
,-
--) -
-i', 'i ',}'I '-~
~.
~.
rather lhinkthat it indic:tlc!l Unt there was no \';ay to rcfute the truth
of the cvidcI1CC brought forth by the Fitc Figllli:l.'s in ~:;upport of U}()ir
rcqll(:<> tf;.
F'OT as long ;.l.S the City l.:ntc>\\/ th;:tl ])~". B"l."rJ' would lestifyin
this pro(J:eding, it seen-Is l'ctt,;ollablc to conclude that if there was a
credible, cornpclvntcconornist that would differ v'lith Dr. Ba.rry's
findings and opinions, the City would have produced such a witness.
If Cbief l<:ing, sitting as lv1an'~8('rnent;{t counsel table, 11ad
disagreed with the lo[';ic of <lny of the Union's requests lor his rnCll or
the need for such reqticsl.s, ,surely he \vould have shared his thuughts
with thC.-l\dJilralol' '.',rith his lc:;tilnony.
If the City h~d (li~;agrecd with ,cny (.F lle facts or finances shown
by th,) Unic1n, ~;Ul'cl)r there would have 1)(;(2n a..'.'ilrlcss [or the City to
t c s ti [y.
l,'{e trust that tilt., City docsnof, propos(: to r;nse Issues in \vritf:en
<lTguniJ'nL thali!: .wollld not ri~.)k to cross'(':-:<tn~in(lti()n or oral argurnent
with tl\(;.opportunit;: of [;lir l'CbUUZll. 'fa (b so would be lanta.n-lolUlt to
allowing the Union to now argu,~ In its Brief lhaton the issue of t(:h~phurH:s,
it is no\\! kno\vn th;~t nH~ Flori()a. IEgl1\v,ry F'atrol pd,Ys each of its T'roope'rs
for In;;.inl;clining it telephone. '[he facllS true, but in~t:;rn\lch a~; the fact
- () -
.'
_) "I.. ',.<:.-'.' _"~
1'.
..~
~
W<t~ not placed In evidence it sh(n~ld not b(~ considered by thc l\rbitra,t:or
on the issue.
PCl'hap;; l)y its silence (he City is lllllulging in the g~unble t1lat
the: Arbitrator \vill, in his awarl:d, "split Hi': dif[(;I~l'l1(;e" b,~twccn the
Union's requests and the City's offers, Certainly the figure between
nothing and sornething is lower: than that bCt\V('(;;l sOlnetbingand son1e-
thing. One ca.n reasonably conclude l!1<1t such i~> the st.r;~tegy of the
City when it has heen 3.ln1)ly clcrnonstraL(~:'L thaL the City 111:1<:le no cconornic
offer s to the Union.
Tlli:; FireFighters ba.ve w,lited long and patiently and leg;dly for
just con~lFens:ll.i.on and benefitsn They hc'.vc: ba.:rgainccI for [hern in good
faith and l>cen Tl,fusedo They have rn(~di,ltcd in good h.ilh and been rc-
fused. 'fhcy now arbitraL(. in good L~iLh and ~:l:;k only for YOllr spe(~dy dnd
fair dc:cision. \'lhat~\rer your a\vc~:i:(l.lnay be:, the: Fire FighlcrS\vill
abide by it in good faith and can unty hopethill the CiLy of Clearwilter wi11
do li.kewi';<;; by ill1 plenl crd.ing yo ur r l'C <) illt 11(" ndi!, tion".
H(~spectfully ~;t.lbrnitted
/
-",,~p:~?:1 /7
~~ -..y ,/ / //./
~ ~ /y /- ,-
~~ ,.."...'1"' .<,";-:/ _ .,_--..~*.....~T
__ __ ~'._." .~ .;_~'. ~~~~-:~. ~::-~Jf~~~-"'~~~~~_ _... ..r_.~__~_!~_._ __...__ _._.__
or I~;H r: Y 1- lJr(:<r:~LL;' of
DO:litllC'Y r~ Furnr,]t, L,-I\v1'er:>, (;hart(~r('d
Suite 0:1" -- If')',.tl .Art:; Building
1;01 South r't. I[,lI.ri~;(,n l\vc!;ue
eleit J'W;dl:.l- ,Flo r idrl 3:);,16
Lav/ycr fut' the Union
-7 -
"
25.30
497.95
"
"
"
25.30
from
.fr 0 rtl
from
from
from
from
from
9,'388. 60 to
10,335.00 to
11,411. 40 to
12, 588.00 to
13,185.90 to
14, 262.30 to
15, 039. 70 to
9;867.00
10,883.60
11, 989.90
12,946.70
13,903.50
14,651.00
15,398.50