National City firefighters urge council to accept pay proposal; closed session held on labor talks and workers' comp claim

Jeremy Day, president of the National City Firefighters, told the City Council during public comment that the union has reached agreement with the city on “almost every item” of a proposed contract but that pay remains the primary sticking point.

Day said the union had softened its request for the first year, placed “guardrails” on years two and three and that city financial records show the city can afford the proposal. “The idea that you're gonna go broke in 3 or 5 years… it just hasn't happened since 02/2005,” Day said, citing figures he said he pulled from the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.

The matter moved immediately to closed session. The city attorney told the council the closed session would address a workers' compensation claim identified as Richard Flores versus the City of National City and “conference with labor negotiators” involving the MEA, the National City Firefighters Association and the Police Officers Association. After the closed session the council returned to open session and said it would report…