Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

JOHNSTON, R.I. -- The contract dispute between the Town Council and the local firefighters union will go to binding arbitration in July, according to Town Solicitor William Conley.

The three-member panel that will hear the case includes Joseph Rodio, representing the town; Frank Montanaro, representing the union, and James Cooper, the neutral arbitrator agreed upon by the other two, Conley said.

The panel plans to take testimony on July 16, July 17 and July 23 and on two dates in August.

The parties turned to arbitration after the Town Council unanimously rejected a three-year contract that Mayor Joseph M. Polisena's administration had negotiated with the 79-member union, Local 1950 of the International Association of Fire Fighters.

"I didn't like the bottom line," said Councilman Ernest F. Pitochelli. "They didn't want to make any concessions."

The proposed contract, which would have replaced the agreement that expires June 30, provided no raises in the first year and deferred 3 percent raises to the end of each of the remaining years, said union president Joseph Andriole.

It also would have eliminated a contractual staffing requirement for one engine company, increased the firefighters' share of the cost of their health coverage and limited their ability to cash in health care benefits.

But it would not have eased per-shift minimum staffing requirements that some officials have blamed for high overtime costs.

 Tags  Johnston R.I.

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