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Posted: Oct 19, 2021 9:08 AMUpdated: Oct 19, 2021 3:12 PM

UPDATE: Deal Between Firefighters Union and City of Bartlesville Pending

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Tom Davis
There may be a contract deal soon between the IAFF, the union representing firefighters,  and the City of Bartlesville pending.
 
Appearing on COMMUNITY CONNECTION, Bartlesville Mayor Dale Copeland announced that the members of the IAFF voted to approve the deal on Monday. According to Copeland, a city council meeting should convene shortly in order to review the deal and possibly take action on it.
 
This comes as the contract dispute was set for arbitration on Oct. 25-26. Arbitration is an adversarial procedure resembling a legal hearing in which both sides present their case to an arbitrator appointed by both sides. 
 
UPDATED:
 
The agreement is subject to final approval from the City Council, which is expected to consider the matter during a special meeting set for noon on Friday, Oct. 22.
 
Though negotiations for the current fiscal year contract began months ago, talks had stalled over the summer due to three points of contention between the parties: the department's promotional process for management-level positions, the "Me Too" clause, which essentially requires that any compensation or benefit given to any City employee must also be given to firefighters, and salary adjustments.
 
Under the terms of the new one-year agreement:
 
  • The “Me Too” clause will be removed
 
  • All eligible candidates for leadership positions will be considered (Previously only the five most senior candidates could be tested)
 
  • Pay increases of 11.5 percent will be granted to the ranks for Firefighter, Driver, Captain, and Battalion Chief (The City had previously offered 11.5 percent for Firefighter and 6.5 percent for Driver, Captain, and Battalion Chief, while the Union had originally requested 11.5 percent for Firefighter, 14 percent for Driver, and 13.5 percent for Captain and Battalion Chief.)

 

If the council votes to approve the agreement on Friday, the terms will be retroactive to the beginning of the current fiscal year, July 1, 2021. Negotiations for a 2022-23 Fiscal Year contract will begin next spring.
 
The council meeting will be held in in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 401 S. Johnstone Ave., and live-streamed on the City’s website, at www.city.ofbartlesville.org. The public is invited to attend.

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