A panel of arbitrators has ruled against the city in a long-running case involving the city’s efforts to rein in firefighter pension benefits, Mayor Joseph J. Solomon said Monday. In reacting to the ruling, Solomon criticized his predecessor, former Mayor Scott Avedisian, accusing him of failing to negotiate less expensive benefits into the firefighters union contract. Arbitrators have decided that costlier pension benefits enshrined in the contract hold sway over benefits that were written into city ordinances as part of Avedisian’s attempt at pension reform in 2012, Solomon said. Solomon said he has not seen a text of the panel’s decision but “I know we’ve lost. I’m very upset about that.”
Solomon said he cannot say how much money the city might owe due to the decision, but he knows it’s at least $2.6 million. He said he wants to see an actuarial analysis.