Career Ocean City firefighters and paramedics received enough votes Tuesday to change how the town and union decide to end contract disputes.
The amendment changes the town charter after it passed 1,288-1,048. Now to settle disputes, the town and union will use binding interest arbitration. 1. Binding interest arbitration allows the the Town of Ocean City and the Ocean City Career Firefighters and Paramedics Union to use a neutral third party arbitrator to settle any disagreements. 2. Before the referendum was proposed, the town's career firefighters and paramedics had to use collective bargaining to negotiate terms with the mayor and council. 3. The career firefighters and paramedics felt as if they had no voice in town issues so they knocked on doors and petitioned to get the referendum on this year's ballot. 4. The Ocean City Town Council said it's not in the taxpayers' best interest to vote in favor of the arbitration referendum because it will take the decision-making process away from elected officials.