Garden City Reaches Tentative Settlement With Paid Firefighters

The Village of Garden City announced that it has reached a tentative settlement agreement with Professional Fire Fighters Union Nassau County Local 1588, and the village’s present and former paid fire employees. The agreement is intended as a global settlement of all outstanding issues and past and pending arbitrations and litigation, and it is a condition to the settlement that the lawsuit filed recently by several residents in Nassau Supreme Court be withdrawn by the plaintiffs. The settlement removes the potential for future litigation which will result in large savings in legal costs and administrative hours from members of the Board of Trustees, the village’s management team, the fire chiefs and the members of the volunteer force.

The tentative settlement requires formal approval of the Board of Trustees, which expects to meet on Tuesday, Sept. 4 at the village’s Senior Center at 7:30 p.m. to discuss the matter. Both the union and all 12 members of the paid contingent have executed the agreement. The Village Board agreed under the settlement to rescind its earlier resolution to formally abolish the paid fire contingent and it will consider such rescission at its meeting.

The settlement provides that the village regain total control of the operations of the fire department and the provision of fire-related services, including the removal of all prohibitions and restrictions regarding first-line response and exclusivity. The settlement also provides that all staffing and manning decisions are within the control and discretion of the village through its fire chiefs. The agreement allows the village to proceed with an all-volunteer fire force like virtually every other community on Long Island.

Most of the paid members of the fire department have already retired or left service. As part of the settlement, just two paid members will be placed on administrative leave, and the one current paid member who is out on disability will remain on disability for a limited period of time. The parties also settled numerous economic issues that had been in dispute, including retroactive pay amounts based on annual raises for past years. In addition, in consideration of early terminations and retirements and other waivers of potential claims, and to avoid future litigation, additional payments will be made to the individual union members. Notwithstanding the payments for early termination and retirement, the village will obtain savings of millions of dollars in future years.

The Union will also disclaim representation interest and rights, be decertified and no longer represent the former members.

Finally, the settlement provides that neither the Union nor the individual members will engage in any activities to disrupt the provision of goods or services from third parties to the village or the recruitment of additional volunteers.

Photo: Village of Garden City