Parma Heights (International Association of Fire Fighters) IAFF Local 1690 recently filed an unfair labor practice charge with the State Employment Relations Board (SERB) related to the city’s attempt to unify pay periods across all departments. Representing Parma Heights IAFF Local 1690 is Susannah Muskovitz and Arish S. Ali of Muskovitz & Lemmerbrock, LLC. “The city is holding back one week of pay from all of the firefighters for the whole rest of their career,” Muskovitz said. “It’s a 2-percent wage reduction that was not negotiated. The city is in the middle of negotiations (with Local 1690 regarding a new contract). “The city has every right to propose this at the bargaining table -- and in fact they have proposed it at the bargaining table. The union has countered, and there has been a back and forth on the issue. That’s normal -- and how the process is supposed to work -- but then the city one day out of the blue said they’re just going to do it anyway and they unilaterally implemented it."