Muskogee Firefighters Contract In Hands Of Voters

When the city and the union can't agree, the issue goes before the voters on Super Tuesday, February 5.  On the ballot is the following proposition: Shall the last best offers of the city of Muskogee or of the International Association of Firefighters, Local 57, be included in their collective bargaining agreement for fiscal year 2007-2008. 

Voters will decide issues of grievance procedures, clothing allowances, and wage and longevity issues.  The election will also decide whether city firefighters will be designated first responders for Muskogee.

The City of Muskogee, in contract negotiations, wants unresolved grievances to continue to go before the Muskogee Civil Service Commission for a final and binding decision.  The IAFF Local 57 wants to permit any party to a grievance (including the city) to be able to appeal the Commission's decisions to an arbitrator obtained from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. 

Firefighters want to raise the current clothing allowance by $100 to $400 per year while the city wants to retain the current $300 per year clothing allowance.  The city of Muskogee has offered to increase both firefighter base pay and longevity pay by 3 percent through June 30, 2008, while the Local 57 has requested 8 percent for base pay with no change in longevity pay.

Other issues to be decided by voters include Haz-Mat training eligibility, vacation and holiday pay, and whether or not Muskogee firefighters will serve as the city's designated first responders.  The union does not support the firefighters being declared as first responders.