Gilroy
– As the city and fire union head to binding arbitration for the
second time in seven years, city officials have confirmed they will
ask the public to consider revoking the dispute-resolution
process.
Gilroy – As the city and fire union head to binding arbitration for the second time in seven years, city officials have confirmed they will ask the public to consider revoking the dispute-resolution process.
“There was some talk of a ballot measure,” confirmed Councilman Bob Dillon, “and I think that will happen.”
City Council has not made any formal decisions, and officials stressed that any move to send the issue back to voters would involve public hearings.
“The general and strong consensus of the council is that there would be open discussion on this,” said City Administrator Jay Baksa. “A lot of things get discussed. A lot of things get thrown against the wall. Right now the council is involved with the actual … negotiations. If they want to have more discussions on a ballot measure, they want this to be done in a public forum.”
For the moment, union representatives do not appear overly concerned with talk of a ballot measure to eliminate binding arbitration, the prime bargaining chip for public safety workers who are not allowed to strike.
Binding arbitration kicks in when either the city or the union declare labor negotiations at an impasse. An independent arbiter is brought in to settle the differences.
Speaking of a possible ballot measure, union secretary and treasurer Jim Buessing said “when the process happens, we will work accordingly with the police department.”
The fire and police departments collaborated on a petition campaign in 1988 to get binding arbitration on the ballot. That effort paid off a decade later, when the fire department came out a winner during the city’s first binding arbitration process. In 1998, a private arbitrator helped settle a two-year debate over staffing fire engines with four firefighters instead of three. Local 2805 won approval for the additional position and the department grew by nine employees to cover the additional staffing.
If the city is successful in bringing the issue back before voters, Gilroy could return to a system of collective bargaining, without binding arbitration. City Administrator Jay Baksa said revisions to the city charter typically take place during regular elections. Mail-in ballots, which could bring about a much quicker decision, are generally restricted to tax-related issues, he said.
City attorneys could not be reached for comment. It remains unclear if the elimination of binding arbitration would affect the current labor deadlock.
Fire Local 2805 declared an impasse in labor negotiations Wednesday after more than six months of bargaining with city officials. The union has asked for a 5-percent wage increase within the next year, a retirement package similar to one given to police, increased health care benefits, paid leave for union-related business, and a post-retirement bonus topping out at $300 per month.
The city has refused to meet any of the requests, other than offering a modified version of the union’s retirement package.
Mayor Al Pinheiro confirmed council members have discussed a ballot measure to end binding arbitration. “Nothing definite has been decided,” he said. “If it ever happens, the citizens of Gilroy will certainly be engaged in this discussion. They have to be, because our citizens are the ones that voted it in … That’s secondary to anything happening right now. We need to focus on the ability to convey to everyone that we, as a city, cannot afford the package the firefighters are requesting.”
