Contract for fire rescue is imminent

After months of strife, the Spring Hill district and the county reach a deal.

By CHANDRA BROADWATER, Times Staff Writer
Published November 2, 2007

SPRING HILL - After months of negotiations, contracts for Spring Hill Fire Rescue employees appear ready to be finalized in the near future.

On Thursday night, the fire board was expected to approve the three-year contract for about 110 employees. Next, Local 2794 members must ratify the contract and sign it.

"But I don't see any problem with that," said union president Troy Hagar. "It all went very well, considering how it all started off."

Talks began in February. Shortly after the first meeting, questions over whether final contract approval would be made by county commissioners or the fire board arose. The fire board also questioned the county's involvement in the negotiations, including Hernando Human Resources Director Barbara Dupre's spot at the bargaining table.

Ultimately, the squabbling led to the county's second attempted takeover of the fire district of the year, not to mention suspended negotiations.

In April, county commissioners decided to let Spring Hill Fire district voters choose the fate of the district with a vote. Talks resumed once again and included county input. But soon after, the fire district turned its attention to looming state tax cuts and the question of how much its bottom line could be affected.

To remedy this, and future cuts that could come from Tallahassee, both sides agreed to revisit the benefits portion of the contract in a year, said Spring Hill Chief J.J. Morrison. Everything else besides raises and insurance is fixed for three years.

"The local understood that we're in a time of budget cutbacks and have been reasonable in their requests at the bargaining table," Morrison said. "We can't be negotiating benefits for three years out when we're not sure of how changes will continue to affect our department."

Another change includes the way the fire district will pay for employee health insurance. While still with Blue Cross, it will place a set dollar amount on how much is spent on each employee rather than paying for a percentage of an increase, explained Morrison. It's similar to county employee benefits.

Under the old contract, Spring Hill employees received 5 percent annual pay increases; paid holidays, sick leave and hospitalization; and dental and optical coverage for full-time employees and their dependents.

A list compiled by Dupre during the first round of talks showed that Spring Hill Fire topped out with the highest figures of several Tampa Bay area departments - above firefighters in Hillsborough County, St. Petersburg and Tampa.

A starting paramedic/firefighter earned $42,800, compared to a Hernando County Fire Rescue paramedic/firefighter who began work at $39,000.

Dupre's numbers also showed that Spring Hill Fire employees paid minimal amounts for medical and dental insurance - about $30 to $40 per pay period for HMO or PPO family coverage. The same document showed Hernando County firefighters paid $300 for HMO family coverage and $275 for PPO family coverage.

To ensure the practically free medical and dental coverage for firefighters and their families, Hagar said at the time that the union agreed to lower raises in the past.

He added that Spring Hill firefighters work 52-hour work weeks, compared to the 48-hour weeks at Tampa and Hillsborough County fire departments.

But with most of the arguments behind them, Hagar said he looks forward to having the final document signed. The previous contract expired Sept. 30.

"We got a little behind, but I think it's going to turn out well," Hagar said. "It's a very fair and conservative contract, to say the least."

Chandra Broadwater can be reached at cbroadwater@sptimes.com or 352848-1432.

[Last modified November 1, 2007, 21:10:24]