OPINION: Mayor’s perspective on contract negotiations with Lewiston firefighters

The Lewiston mayor is the chief administrative official of the city and ensures that ordinances of the city are complied with and enforced. This year those duties include meeting and conferring in good faith with representatives of the Lewiston Firefighters Local 1773 (firefighters) for collective bargaining purposes, a position I take very seriously so we can maintain a safe city.

On March 20, 2024, the firefighters and city completed negotiations within 30 days of their first meeting as required under Idaho Code except for two issues, wages and monthly contributions to a medical expense reimbursement plan, or MERP. Soon after these two unresolved issues were submitted to a fact-finding commission, also required under Idaho Code. The firefighters selected one member, and the city selected one member, then those two members selected a third member of the commission.

On July 1, 2024, the firefighters and city presented evidence material to the two unresolved issues. The fact-finding commission listened to both parties for approximately four hours before recessing the hearing. On Aug. 20 the fact-finding commission released three recommendations — a 4% increase to base wages, annual cost-of-living wage adjustments and continued monthly contributions to MERP. The city accepted the first two recommendations on base wages and annual cost-of-living wage adjustments.

Here are some facts supporting the city’s acceptance of those two recommendations.

The firefighters and city recently completed an hourly wage market comparison using cities in Washington, Montana, and Idaho. The data shows that Lewiston firefighters currently are at 88.19% of all the comparable cities and 92.10% of Idaho cities. With a 4% increase to base wages, the Lewiston firefighters would be at 91.72% of comparable cities and 95.79% of Idaho cities. Annual cost-of-living wage adjustments have kept pace with inflation in past years and are expected to keep pace in future years. Again, the city accepted these two unanimous recommendations by the commission.

However, the fact-finding commission was split on its recommendation to continue monthly contributions to MERP, and the city did not accept this recommendation.

MERP is a tax-exempt union sponsored plan to allow firefighters to plan for retirement medical expenses. The city of Lewiston has its own voluntary employee’s beneficiary (VEBA) trust that offers a funded health reimbursement arrangement with a tax-advantage like MERP for all other employees.

All city employees accrue monthly sick leave benefits that upon resignation or retirement receive a payment for a portion of their accumulated sick leave into their tax-free medical savings account, MERP or VEBA.

Lewiston firefighters receive two additional sick leave benefits — an incentive that allows them to sell back some unused hours at the end of each year paid into their MERP, and a $75 per member per month paid into their MERP.

Again, why should the city support additional monthly contributions to MERP and not to VEBA?

In addition to the three recommendations above, at the beginning of the collective bargaining process, in February 2024, the city negotiating team expressed concerns with language in Article 24, page 27, of the then current collective labor agreement (Oct. 1, 2021, to Sept. 30, 2024), that “Pursuant to statute, the recommendations of the fact-finding commission shall be binding on the CITY and the UNION.” The previous sentence reads, “The procedures for fact finding shall be in strict accordance with Idaho Code sections 44-1805 to 44-1810.” Nowhere in Idaho Code sections 44-1805 to 44-1810 does it state that fact finding is binding on the parties, and for good reason. The city cannot hand over its appropriation authority to a fact-finding commission.

Unfortunately, the erroneous language of a binding fact-finding decision in the previous contract has led to a tarnished end to the negotiation process. The Lewiston Firefighters Local 1773 issued a news release (Nov. 14, 2024) stating a refusal by the city to honor the agreements made during the collective bargaining process. The city remains committed to those agreements and a successful resolution to collective bargaining.

Finally, the mayor has the duty to communicate to the city council such information and recommend such measures as may tend to the improvement of the finances and the general welfare and prosperity of the city. Members of the Lewiston Firefighters Local 1773 have raised valid concerns over staffing, increased call volumes, and overtime hours not directly addressed in the collective bargaining process. As mayor I am committed to working on these concerns and to putting public safety first.

Johnson is the mayor of Lewiston.