Northfield board says ambulance staff unionized; negotiators, costs remain uncertain

Members of the Northfield Budget & Financial Review Subcommittee raised concerns after confirming ambulance staff have voted to unionize and that collective bargaining had not yet begun.

A committee participant opened the discussion: "We should probably start the conversation by saying that there has been a vote to unionize." Members said they lacked information on negotiating timelines, proposed wage scales or the bargaining committee's priorities and therefore cannot yet budget with confidence for potential salary and benefits increases.

Staff presented current draft figures showing a roughly 9% proposed July pay increase in the ambulance budget and noted the department billed about $1.25 million in FY24/25 but did not recover roughly $81,735 in bad debt. Members warned that wage increases negotiated under a contract will raise payroll, FICA and benefit costs and could change whether the ambulance is operated to break even on fees or is partially tax-supported.

Committee direction: staff will produce budget scenarios that show (a) baseline pay and benefits as currently drafted, (b) the effect of a negotiated 9% across-the-board increase, and (c) sensitivity to different bad-debt recovery rates. The subcommittee agreed to continue ambulance budget discussion in follow-up meetings and to consult legal/HR guidance on bargaining timing and obligations.

"To have a 9% labor increase in the ambulance department . . . that exceeds all of our employees' pay increase," a member said, noting the negotiation could exceed the percentages applied to other town employees.