Fire union asks for delay because witnesses unavailable
Gilroy – Arbitration hearings intended to resolve contract disputes between the city and Fire Local 2805 have been pushed back four months to the start of 2006.
The hearings, originally scheduled for September, have been rescheduled for January 2006 at the request of the fire union, according to Gilroy Human Resources Director LeeAnn McPhillips.
“It’s my understanding that counsel for Local 2805 notified [arbitrator] John Kagel that those dates were no longer acceptable because they had witnesses and participants not available on those dates,” McPhillips said. “The only good thing about keeping this thing moving is we get it behind us, but moving it from September to January doesn’t affect the process. We were preparing for September. We have more time now.”
A union attorney could not be reached for comment.
The hearings are the first step in a binding arbitration process that will decide a number of contentious contract issues, including the fire union’s request for a retirement package that would allow the 36-member fire department to retire at age 50 with 90 percent of their salary. The union declared impasse in negotiations in after city officials refused to budge on any of the union’s request, except to offer a modified version of the department’s retirement request.
The standoff amidst a precarious budget situation has led some City Council members to call for a ballot measure to rescind binding arbitration. It remains unclear if a successful vote to repeal arbitration in the November election would affect the current arbitration process which now appears will stretch well into the next year.
The first arbitration hearings are scheduled for Jan. 4 to 6, followed by sessions on Jan. 16, 19, and 29.
