City Approves Tentative Agreement with Royal Oak Firefighters

The City Commission approved a tentative agreement with the Royal Oak Professional Firefighters Association at a special meeting Tuesday night.

The two-year agreement calls for a wage freeze the first year. For the second year of the collective bargaining agreement, firefighters receive a 1.5 percent increase.

"It should be remembered though, that's after the concessions that were made in our last collective bargaining agreement. At our last contract, members of this bargaining unit took a 2.5 percent pay cut," said attorney Howard Shiffman.

Shiffman said he thought the contract was fair to employees and fair to the voters who passed a public safety millage last November. There were other concessions in the collective bargaining agreement as well, he said.

"One month into the new contract, to reach a voluntary settlement with firefighters with no mediation, I think that's excellent for the city and a reflection of their professionalism," Shiffman told commissioners, adding "It bodes well for our future."

Mayor Jim Ellison also gave kudos to the firefighters union.

"I've been up here a long time and I've seen some differing attitudes with bargaining," Ellison said. "And this is the polar opposite of where we started."

Ellison concluded his remarks by saying he was "very proud of our firefighters."

[Watch the video to hear more of the mayor's comments.]