• About
  • Join/Donate
  • Contact
Thursday, August 11, 2022
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
The Brief
NB MEDIA CO-OP
Share a story
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Gender
  • Politics
  • Culture
  • Videos
  • NB debrief
  • Articles en français
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Gender
  • Politics
  • Culture
  • Videos
  • NB debrief
  • Articles en français
No Result
View All Result
NB MEDIA CO-OP
No Result
View All Result
Home Labour

Fredericton firefighters take brunt of Woodside’s spending decisions

by Matthew Hayes and Nikita Hartt
October 22, 2014
Reading Time: 3min read
photo 4
Fredericton firefighters gather at City Hall in February wearing red t-shirts to denounce cuts to the firefighting service. Photo by Tyler McCready.

Fredericton – As Fredericton’s firefighters and the City of Fredericton await a decision from an arbitrator on a longstanding labour dispute, Fredericton Mayor Brad Woodside is publicly lambasting firefighters in the media for wanting too much money.

Arbitration hearings between the city and firefighters took more than 11 days, in contrast to two days in Moncton and one day in Saint John. The City brought in several expert witnesses to delay proceedings, including on issues of lesser contention, according to union officials.

At the heart of the dispute is the City’s proposal to move to a shared risk pension system, salaries and public safety.

Glenn Sullivan, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) local 1053 says that shifting to a shared risk pension plan is not necessary.  “Our pension has been recovering quite nicely,” he argues.

Woodside and other city mayors have argued that arbitration awards are too much and are  lobbying the province to change the way that arbitration proceedings are done; the mayors would like the arbitrator to choose a side rather than impose a settlement.

The dispute with firefighters has become a national issue, as Woodside has used his position as the head of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to draw attention to the cost of labour union contracts for cities.

Woodside told the Telegraph-Journal on Oct. 6th that if municipalities could not keep labour costs under control, they might be forced to cut their workforce.

The salary settlements at arbitration in Moncton (an increase of 16% over 4 years) and Saint John (12% over four years) are commensurate with annual increases in similar trades, according to figures from Statistics Canada.

Woodside has targeted labour costs as a way to reduce spending in city budgets while pouring money into capital projects over the last 10 years.

The $34 million convention centre and $11 million parking structure, the hallmark of Woodside’s mayoralty, have consistently operated below capacity since their opening in 2011.

The firefighters are asking for a wage package that would maintain comparability with other firefighters in Atlantic Canada.

The City of Fredericton has tried to cut its firefighter costs in other ways as well. In February, they decided to cut a tanker truck from their fleet and replace it with a rescue vehicle, which is staffed by only two firefighters, instead of three.

A tanker truck responded to the large industrial fire on Hanwell Road in Fredericton on Feb. 8. Firefighters are concerned that a tanker truck is being removed from service in the north side of Fredericton. Photo from the Fredericton Firefighters Association.
A tanker truck responded to the large industrial fire on Hanwell Road in Fredericton on Feb. 8. Firefighters are concerned that a tanker truck is being removed from service in the north side of Fredericton. Photo from the Fredericton Firefighters Association.

Firefighters responded publicly with a pamphlet informing Fredericton residents of the changes and were berated at a public council meeting by Mayor Woodside who dismissed their concerns about public safety.

“They made operational changes that would basically prevent them from having to hire more staff,” Glenn Sullivan says.  The process, he argues, was driven by Lean Six Sigma, a management efficiency approach, rather than by an independent fire risk analysis.

The Mayor and firefighters have also clashed over the relocation of one of the Northside fire stations to Two Nations Crossing, which has facilitated further suburban development in an as yet incomplete part of the city.  The move, say firefighters, have increased response times and is a public safety concern.

Rising costs for Canadian municipalities have been an issue for years, as high energy costs and aging suburban neighbourhoods require infrastructure renewal over sprawled city spaces.

While the City has yet to identify a way to reduce urban sprawl, it has taken aim at municipal workers. According to the City of Fredericton, firefighting service costs each household $41.35 on average.  The cost of road and street maintenance is 60% more at an average of $65.03 per household.

Other cities, such as Calgary and Halifax have prioritized sprawl reduction as a means of reducing road maintenance costs as well as future capital costs.  Calgary has instituted new suburban development costs to curb sprawl.

“I don’t think it is fair to blame firefighters for not being able to fund other things in the community,” Sullivan says. “Decisions about where to allocate funds are political decisions.”

Matthew Hayes is a sociology professor at St. Thomas University and Nikita Hartt is an English student at the University of New Brunswick interning with the NB Media Co-op.

Tags: firefighterFrederictonlabourMatthew HayesNew BrunswickNikita Harttslider
ShareTweetSend

Related Posts

Health

Voices of health care workers and community organizations must be heard on health care

July 22, 2022

The voices of New Brunswick’s health care workers and community organizations must be heard on any changes to the health...

Health

Common Front warns recent health care announcements will lead to privatization of services

July 22, 2022

The Common Front for Social Justice New Brunswick is concerned that recent changes in the health care system would open...

Wendy Speirs’ children’s book sparks discussion on belonging
Culture

Wendy Speirs’ children’s book sparks discussion on belonging

July 21, 2022

Hosting events in the community precipitates essential discussions about diversity and inclusivity.  Promise of Home recently hosted a reading at...

Premier’s ‘innovative thinking’ won’t improve health care
Health

Premier’s ‘innovative thinking’ won’t improve health care

July 19, 2022

It is a political truism: there is no better time to do something controversial than on a lazy Friday afternoon,...

Load More

Recommended

Let’s get real about energy security, local gas supply, and energy transition

Let’s get real about energy security, local gas supply, and energy transition

24 hours ago
Wolastoqiyik women stop smallmouth bass poisoning in Miramichi Lake for now [updated]

Letter: Use of poison in Miramichi Lake and watershed a ‘tremendous waste of time and money’

2 days ago
Decades of neoliberal governance have left disabled New Brunswickers in poverty and without social assistance

Decades of neoliberal governance have left disabled New Brunswickers in poverty and without social assistance

6 days ago
Irving’s appointment to head of Postmedia board not welcome news, says prof

Irving’s appointment to head of Postmedia board not welcome news, says prof

2 days ago
NB Media Co-op

© 2019 NB Media Co-op. All rights reserved.

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Join/Donate
  • Contact
  • Share a Story
  • Calendar
  • Archives

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • Join/Donate
  • Contact
  • Share a Story
  • COVID-19
  • Videos
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Arts & Culture
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Politics
  • Rural

© 2019 NB Media Co-op. All rights reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In