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Danbury council approves four-year firefighters contract after public appeals
Summary
The Danbury City Council voted to fund and implement a four-year collective bargaining agreement with the Danbury Fire Union Local 801 after public comment and a negotiator’s summary of economic changes; the motion carried with one abstention.
The Danbury City Council approved funding to implement a four-year collective bargaining agreement between the city and the Danbury Fire Union Local 801 following public comment and a council presentation.
Christopher Daley, president of Danbury Firefighters Local 801, urged the council to ratify the contract during the public comment period, saying the four-year agreement updates a 12-year-old contract and includes safety and staffing improvements. “I’m urging you all to vote yes on number 5,” Daley said, describing staffing increases, an incident safety officer at emergencies and recruitment and retention measures.
City negotiator Mike Harrington summarized the deal for council members, saying the contract sets wage rates for four years and makes several economic changes. Harrington said the agreement moves sick-time from an unlimited system to a traditional accrual model, revises overtime so it is calculated at time-and-a-half in many cases, raises employee contributions to certain health plans and preserves longevity benefits for current employees. He also noted a new stipend to encourage firefighters to live in the city.
The mayor’s office submitted the agreement and asked the council to approve the funding required to implement its economic provisions. After discussion and the presentation, the council voted to approve the funds and the related administrative changes. The motion carried with one abstention; the mayor announced Councilman Jeff Tomchick registered the abstention.
The council’s role on collective bargaining funding is limited to providing the money needed to implement items that conflict with charter, ordinances or existing rules; the full contract remains on file with the legislative assistance office. The council did not change the underlying collective bargaining text during the meeting; its action authorized the city to appropriate funds necessary to carry out negotiated economic terms.
The council’s approval means the city will implement the negotiated economic changes for the period identified in the agreement. No further procedural steps were announced at the time of the vote.
