West Palm Beach firefighters, city hit impasse over new contract

West Palm Beach firefighters and the city have hit a deadlock.

THE CITY - TALKS OVER A NEWCONTRACT DURING THIS PANDEMICHAVE GONE NO WHERE AND NOW ANIMPASSE HAS BEEN DECLARED -NEWSCHANNEL FIVE'S MATTSCZESNY LOOKED INTO HOW ITCAME TO THIS.JAYSON FRENCH SAYS THE LASTTIME HE TALKED WITH THE CITYOF WEST PALM BEACH ABOUT A NEWFIREFIGHTERS CONTRACT WAS TWOWEEKS AGO.

14:32“IT DIDNWELL, HALF AN HOURCONVERSATION AND THEY PUT USAT IMPASS” THATTHE FIREFIGHTERS AND THE CITYNOT TALKINGÃFIREFIGHTERSASKING FOR A 15 PERCENT BUMPIN PAYÃOFFSET BY CHANGES TOOVERTIME AND RETIREMENTÃANDWOULD MAKE THEM ONE OF THEBETTER PAID FIRE DEPARTMENTSIN PALM BEACH BEACH COUNTY143339“WEBE COMPETITIVE IN THEMARKETPLACE AND I DONITIS THERE ITWANTS TO ALLOW THAT MONEY TOBE ALLOCATED” 7:42“AS MAYORI HAVE A FIDUCIARYRESPONSIBILITY TO ALL CITIZENSOF THIS CITY” THATKEITH JAMES LAST THURSDAYDURING A BUDGET ZOOM MEETING &HE INSISTS THIS NOT ABOUT ANYANTI UNION SENTIMENTÃRATHERITS ABOUT MONEYÃIN ASTATEMENTÃTHE CITY CITES &MAJOR REVENUE LOSSES DURINGTHE COVID PANDEMICÃANNUALREVENUES DOWN OVER 7 MILLIONDOLLARS ANNUALLY.

JAMES STATEDTHE CITY DID COUNTER A 10PERCENT HIKE IN PAY 7:12“ONCEIT BECAME CLEAR TO ME, THEYWERE NOT BUDGING FROM THEIRINITIAL WISH LIST AND DEMANDS,I INSTRUCTED STAFF TO DECLAREAN IMPASSE” FRENCH SAYS ITSNOW LED TO LOWER MORALE IN THEDEPARTMENTÃBUT IT WONAFFECT HOW THEY DO THEIR JOB.143456“THATWETHE CITY BUT AS FAR AS OURRESPONSE THATNON-NEGOTIABLE, WEEVERY DA” POLICE ARE ALSOINVOLVED IN A CONTRACT IMPASSEWITH THE CITYÃA MAGISTRATEWILL NOW LIKELY TAKE UP THEISSUE AND OFFER A CONTRACTSETTLEMENT.

IN WPB.

M.

WPTV 5.PARENTS IN MARTIN COUNTY HAVEUNTIL MIDNIG