City negotiations with both Margate’s Federation of Public Employees (FPE) union and the International Association of FireFighters (IAFF) union have come to a halt. The FPE refuses to part with longevity bonuses and welfare trust benefits for new employees, as do Margate firefighters who also say no to a cap on overtime.
Union leaders have agreed to let Margate City Commissioners decide the fate of their contracts in special hearings to be scheduled in coming weeks. FPE will appear before commissioners on September 14, while Fire Union officials will first seek a ruling from a Special Magistrate.
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Margate’s FPE largely represents the city’s non police and fire workers. The IAFF represents the entire Margate Fire Department, except for the Fire Chief.
Both unions have agreed to accept a pay freeze for the duration of their proposed 1-year contracts, but do not agree on losing longevity benefits or welfare trust benefits for workers hired after October 1, 2010.
“What the urgency of getting rid of longevity,” asked a FPE bargaining unit official, adding that, at most, only a few people would be hired in the coming fiscal year.
Negotiating for the city, Margate City Manager, Frank Porcella, emphasized to union officials that City Commissioners decided to eliminate welfare benefits and “time served” bonuses for new employees as a means of shoring up future cash flows for the city.
Notwithstanding benefits for existing employees would not be touched, negotiators for both unions declared impasse.
Unlike other cities and towns across South Florida and the nation, Margate is not asking its union workers to take pay cuts, engage in furloughs or layoffs. The city is, however, motioning that union members consider the unpredictability of future economies and to realize that savings gained by reducing benefits to new employees today may play a role in procuring job security for existing employees tomorrow.
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