The Board of Selectmen recently ratified new contracts with five labor unions. Under the new contracts firefighters, dispatchers, public works, library, and Town Hall employees agreed to four-year deals that provide no salary increases in fiscal 2009, but include raises of 1 percent during the current fiscal 2010 year, 1 percent in fiscal 2011, and 2 percent in fiscal 2012.
The contracts cover the period from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2012, and affect roughly 60 firefighters, 20 public works employees, and 50 at Town Hall, as well as 13 Dedham Public Library employees and nine public safety dispatchers, said Town Administrator William Keegan.
He said about 15 to 20 non-union workers at Town Hall agreed to the same wage package.
Keegan said he started negotiating with the unions before their previous contracts expired in 2008, but tight budget times prevented a resolution sooner.
“We couldn’t come to terms because things were pretty volatile in terms of the economics, and that’s clearly a reflection of what happened – that’s why we ended up with a zero in the first year,” Keegan said late last week, after the public works, library, and Town Hall groups settled.
Referring to the 1 and 2 percent increases in the subsequent years, Keegan said, “This is the lowest settlement contract that I’ve seen that’s been in place for many, many years … Clearly it’s a reflection of the economic climate that we’re in, and to the extent that we can continue to provide some level of adjustment in this difficult time, we want to continue to do that.”
“The employees, to their credit, recognized that we are in a difficult time, and they reduced their demands accordingly as well,” he added.
The overall cost to the town for the six groups’ pay increases for this fiscal year is about $119,000, Keegan said. On Nov. 16, Special Town Meeting will be asked to authorize the money for those contracts in Article 1.
Selectmen ratified the first three contracts last week, followed by the firefighters and dispatchers agreements this past Monday.
Speaking after the first three groups settled, Selectman James MacDonald said “contracts are never easy to negotiate,” but “at the end of the day, the town was able to negotiate what we consider to be affordable increases over the next three years.”
He noted that the state keeps redefining its revenue picture, and 2011 will be a challenge.
“Everybody’s realized that, and the contracts, I believe, were fair to both parties,” he said.
Four more unions are still without new deals, including the Dedham Police Patrolmen’s Association and the Dedham Police Association, which represents lieutenants and sergeants.
Dedham Transcript staff writer Edward B. Colby can be reached at 781-433-8336 or ecolby@cnc.com.
