Firefighters descended on the City Council meeting on Monday to demand action on a new contract, telling council members the city's administration has lied to the governing body about negotiations and saying they feel "disrespected" by city officials.
The fire officers union, which includes about 40 captains and battalion chiefs, has been working under an expired contract since December 2013. The city wants a mediator to step in to resolve the dispute, according to the union's president, Bernie Grilletti, who called the mediation request "a joke" when speaking to council members on Monday.
Grilletti and the union's state delegate, Joseph Grossi, told council members the city wants "exorbitant givebacks," cuts in longevity pay and vacation days and "very minimal" salary increases compared to raises given to other union workers in the city. They said the current administration met with them twice before asking for a mediator.
"We ultimately feel that the city doesn't care about us," Grossi said. "We're the backbone of this city."