El Paso firefighters begin internal voting Wednesday on latest city offer

April 22--El Paso firefighters with the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 51 are expected to begin their internal voting Wednesday on the city's latest offer on wages and health care benefits.

City staffers presented details of the latest plan for the firefighters at Tuesday's City Council meeting.

City Manager Tommy Gonzalez and his assistants said Tuesday that the city's latest offer will cost about $7.9 million (cumulative) through fiscal year 2018 for firefighters' wages and health care benefits. In February, the city's offer, and what will appear on the May 9 ballot, was estimated to cost $1.2 million (cumulative) for wages and health insurance, through fiscal year 2018.

The initial request by the IAFF, which will appear on the May 9 ballot, will cost the city about $14.9 million (cumulative) for wages and health care benefits through FY 2018, according to charts that Gonzalez and others city staffers presented to the City Council and at a news conference, also on Tuesday.

Both the $14.9 million firefighters' request and the city's earlier $1.2 million proposal will be on the May 9 ballot. Officials said the city's latest $7.9 million offer will not be on the ballot, because election and printing deadlines did not allow for any more changes to be made to the ballot.

"We've offered a solution on every front," said Gonzalez, referring to the city's latest offer. "The firefighters and the public will see it as a good plan."

Joe Tellez, president of the IAFF/Local 51, who disagreed, said, "We're not asking for the moon and the stars. Our numbers are solid and reasonable. I can't see how the city can forecast numbers for the next three fiscal years when we don't even know what the budgets are going to be."

Tellez said the new health care insurance costs for firefighters did not change under the city's latest offer.

Paul Thompson, the IAFF's second vice president, said he's hopeful that a solution can be reached before May 9. He said there was more progress in the talks between the city and the IAFF in the past three weeks than in the previous 10 months of collective bargaining.

"These have been the most productive three weeks, since the mayor reached out to us, and since the collective bargaining first began back in May of 2014," Thompson said. "Actually, we were surprised when the City Council voted unanimously on Feb. 24 to go to a referendum. We didn't want this to happen."

The collective bargaining contract calls for a referendum to settle a dispute when the city and firefighters reach an impasse. Then, it's up to the City Council to call for a special election to solve the dispute.

Thompson said the latest city wage plan is lopsided because it grants the biggest raises to veteran firefighters and the smallest raises to the newer firefighters.

"To help our members with the higher costs, we're asking for a $38 monthly raise for entry-level firefighters," he said.

Gonzalez said health care costs everywhere are soaring, and that's why the city has had to charge more for its health care plan. The city has its own insurance plan, which is administered by a third party.

To offset the higher premiums, Gonzalez said the city offered the firefighters a wellness program incentive of up to $1,800 per year ($150 a month).

Participation in the new wellness program for city employees will be voluntary and consist of physical fitness and biometrics tests, plus financial incentives for taking part in either or both.

"Every time I met with (Joe Tellez), I kept increasing the (incentive) amount, and each time (his) answer was no," Gonzalez said.

Tellez said, "We're still being asked to pay more for health care, under the previous city offer and under the latest one."

Thompson said, "Firefighters would have to pay $850 extra a month for their monthly health care premium, or $1,093 a month. Also, not everyone may qualify for the wellness incentive of $150 per month."

City Attorney Sylvia Borunda Firth cautioned the city parties to avoid advocating for or against the proposals during the City Council meeting. She said the city, however, was free to present facts about the three competing plans.

Depending which proposal goes through, the tax impacts on residents with an average home valued at $124,192 are as follows:

--Firefighters referendum: $10.31 per fiscal year 2016; $19.13 FY 2017; $28.19 FY 2018.

--City referendum: $1.50 FY 2016; $1.75 FY 2017; $1.57 FY 2018.

--City's latest offer (not on the May 9 ballot): $10.05 FY 2016; $11.02 FY 2017; $9.57 FY 2018.

Thompson said IAFF Local 51 members will begin voting at the stations Wednesday by secret ballot. Under the union's bylaws, members who didn't get a chance to vote in person will get ballots in the mail. The process, with the mail-in ballots, could extend past May 9, union officials said.

"A simple majority is needed to accept or reject the city's latest offer," Thompson said. "We are hoping to get it done before the (May 9) election."

The city attorney said the process by both sides to reach a solution can continue right up until the election, and the City Council must vote on it before it can go into effect.

"If the offer is approved by the membership, we will bring it to council for them to approve the contract," Borunda Firth said. After the election, the City Council must follow the will of the voters, she added.

City officials said they will post the comparisons of the three proposals on the city's website at elpasotexas.gov.

Diana Washington Valdez may be reached at 546-6140.

___

(c)2015 the El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas)

Visit the El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas) at www.elpasotimes.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC