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Image by Westwood Minute and Canva. Shaking hands, symbolizing agreement, are placed over Westwood Fire Department's Station 2.
7-15-2023 12:49am
Town of Westwood, Fire Union Resolve 2-Year Long Contract Dispute
Darlene Cancell
Editor
After two years, the Town of Westwood and Westwood Firefighters Local 1994 have resolved their contract differences and have come to a new collective bargaining agreement, according to information provided by Select Board Chair Marianne LeBlanc Cummings at Westwood Select Board's meeting, remotely convened, on July 12, 2023.
Ms. Cummings did not address substantive details of the new contract. However, in a February 2023 Facebook post by the fire union at a time before an agreement had been reached, Local 1994 noted that that "[a]ll we are asking for is a fair wage increase."
Then in May 2023, the union on Facebook stated that it was seeking "mutual ground with a contract comparable to our public safety partners."
The union's reference in May to the contract of other public safety personnel followed on the heels of Westwood Select Board's April 2023 approval of two new Memorandums of Agreement with the police union which provided:
- wage increases that included increases of 2.5 percent;
- reduction of 12 steps in the wage table to 8 steps;
- a day off for "mental health";
- increased education incentive and vacation accrual in place of compounding administrative compensation days; and
- incorporation of random drug testing.
The close of contract negotiations also follows the recent operational study by the Town of Westwood's consultant, Criterion Associates, that concluded that the town should add staff to Westwood Fire Department, including several additional leadership positions.
Westwood Minute notes that if the Town of Westwood accepts its consultant's recommendation, then the addition of several lieutenant openings could create a number of new, higher paying positions that current Westwood Fire Department staff members could potentially fill, thereby giving them a wage increase.
Ms. Cummings very briefly read a joint statement, from the Town of Westwood and Westwood Firefighters Local 1994, which she said was released on June 29, 2023.
“We would like to thank the Joint Labor Management Committee for their assistance in coming to a resolution that is mutually beneficial to the Town of Westwood and the members of Westwood Firefighters Local 1994. Both the Town of Westwood and Westwood Firefighters Local 1994 are pleased to continue providing dedicated service to the residents of Westwood," read Ms. Cummings from the joint statement.
The fire union independently shared some words about the end of negotiations. In a letter from Local 1994 President Anthony Burke to "Town of Westwood," which the union posted to its Facebook page on June 30th, Mr. Burke wrote:
"The firefighters of Local 1994 will be forever indebted to the residents of our great community we serve. Without the support we garnered from many citizens, we would never be in the position we are today. Thank you for the countless hours of sign holding, phone calls, letters, and overall support." Mr. Burke noted that the "arduous process" took 728 days to resolve.
