Six firefighters retired from North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue squad in August and September. Their terminal leave packages totaled $424,556.74 and were approved at the organization’s board meeting on Sept. 28. However, the NHRFR agreed to pay the packages over two budget periods. The firefighters will receive half of their amount now, and the other half six months from now.
The payout caused some controversy by the North Hudson Firefighters Union, which believed it should have been paid in one lump sum, but the board said that financial times are tight.
According to NHRFR Co-Director Michael De Orio, the North Hudson Fire Officers Association, which represents superior officers, has a clause in their contract that allows splitting up the payment, while the other union, the North Hudson Firefighters Association, does not.
Chairman and Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner explained that because of a depleted staff, overtime payments, and a ruling on an NAACP lawsuit that has stopped them from hiring new firefighters from their list, financial times are tight. He said they could not pay the firefighters their packages in one lump sum.
He said that a firefighter may retire after 25 years of service. There is no real way to budget for terminal packages when so many firefighters are expected to retire from the department, he said, because they don’t always give much notice.
Financial woes
The firefighters received amounts ranging from $21,147 to $129,124.
De Orio said that this year, the NHRFR budget increased 5 percent. It is paid for by contributions by the five towns in which it fights fires: Union City, West New York, North Bergen, Weehawken, and Guttenberg.
De Orio said the fire officers’ union negotiated a 4 percent raise year, which increased the burden on this year’s budget.
There is also an unfair labor practice lawsuit heading to Hudson County Superior Court at the end of October filed by the North Hudson Fire Officers Association because their retroactive salary and benefit payments were supposed to be paid four times over a two-year period, they say. Instead, the Regional made the first two payments, but did not make the third in July, they say.
“We understand their concern and we’re not saying that they’re not right…they can complain about everything, but you have to realize that in these economic times, how do you put the burden on the taxpayers?” asked De Orio.
Unions upset
Firefighters Association President Dominick Marino was upset that the firefighters would have to wait to receive half of their terminal leave packages, when their contract states that they can receive the funds in one lump sum.
“We’re paying you in accordance with the way we want it [for budget purposes],” said Turner.
Turner said that if the firefighters were to announce in advance that they were retiring, maybe this could be expected.
“They’re not getting their money when they retire, and that’s negotiating,” asked Marino. “It’s when you say so.”
Turner said that the union had the process to appeal the decision, and that they had a right to be upset, but that the Regional has to pick and choose which bills to pay.
Officers in limbo
North Hudson Fire Officers State Delegate Capt. Brian McGorty said that it wasn’t fair that officers weren’t receiving their retro payments either, since the matter is “keeping them in limbo.”
“It seems to me that in fiscally difficult times, money is better spent not in litigation, but in resolving issues,” said McGorty.
Turner said that sending excessive bills to taxpayers wasn’t an adequate solution either. q
Other North Hudson news
NHRFR Director Jeff Welz said that the new Regional firehouse located at 4300 Kennedy Blvd. in Union City, which formerly was a transmission auto body shop, will be open around Early November. It will house Engine Company 5 and replace a dilapidated firehouse down the street.
The building will also house a communications center, which will be opened sometime later.
McEldowney also said that this year was the third anniversary of Firefighter Vincent Neglia’s death while fighting a fire. He said that a memorial service held in Union City was well attended by family and friends.
Tricia Tirella may be reached at TriciaT@hudsonreporter.com.