‘Small step forward’

An interim wage increase for firefighters is a small step forward for the Thunder Bay Professional Firefighters’ Association.

The City of Thunder Bay announced Friday afternoon that a settlement had been reached on a wage increase for city firefighters for 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, which TBPFA president Eric Nordlund said is a fair move from the city corporation.

"I’m certainly glad past council really has stepped up and made what is the right decision and I think it’s showing some respect for their firefighters by agreeing to pay an interim salary increase, especially given the time of year and quite frankly how long this arbitration process continues to labour on," he said Monday.

The firefighters have been without a contract since 2003 and Nordlund said, and since then an arbitrator had awarded them an interim wage increase at the end of 2006. The increase acknowledged firefighters should be paid the same as police officers working in the same community.

"When it comes to salary, our expectation would be that, as is the practice across the province, we would be paid the same as police officers working in our own community as well as being paid the same as comparable fire service organizations," Nordlund said.

The arbitration hearing was held in July 2009 but an award is still pending; the lengthy process is causing frustration amongst the 200 firefighters the union represents, added Nordlund.

"We’re at the end of a very long process, one that firefighters showed up and were willing to negotiate a fair and reasonable collective agreement," he said, adding the city has made the right choice by agreeing to the interim wage increase.

"They stepped up and they recognized they’ve a role to play here as well and this is a very small step into doing the right thing."

The settlement will be presented to city council for ratification at the Dec. 7 meeting.