The Landmark.com has an article on the continued negotiations involving a possible privatization of the North Riverside Fire Department.
North Riverside Mayor Hubert Hermanek Jr. could decide as early as this week whether to move ahead with a plan to privatize the village firefighting services. While there’s no timeline for action, Hermanek indicated he would quickly move to privatize the department if no progress is made during a negotiating session with union members scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 3.
This time the two sides won’t be facing each other across the negotiating table. Instead, they’ll be in separate rooms and the session will be in the hands of a federal labor mediator. Mediators are required by law to become involved in negotiations when there is an impasse.
“We’re very, very far apart,” said Hermanek. “We’ll see if we can make some headway. If not, something will happen.”
That “something” will be turning over the village’s fire services to Paramedic Services of Illinois (PSI), which for nearly three decades has provided paramedic services for North Riverside.
The village’s privatization offer to firefighters included extending all 16 union members job offers with PSI at their present salaries. However, the firefighters’ benefits would change. Most important for firefighters, they would no longer accumulate pension benefits. Instead, they would qualify for pension benefits they’ve already earned, but moving forward would be part of a 401(k) plan. Firefighters would no longer be employees of the village, but of PSI.
Firefighters, however, have so far rejected the village’s offer and claim that any move to privatize the department would be illegal. They have threatened to fight any such action in the courts. Hermanek believes that privatizing the department is legal. He also wants to move quickly, he said, because the Illinois General Assembly may move this fall to outlaw privatization bids like the one being proposed in North Riverside unless the question is put to voters.
Hermanek said he’s heard that state senate Democrats are ready to introduce a bill regarding fire department privatization when the General Assembly reconvenes in November.
“That’s why I don’t want this dragging on,” Hermanek said.
The sides remain far apart, he said, despite what he called a “significant compromise” on the part of the village in negotiations. He declined to specify what that compromise involved. Firefighters would like to see PSI eliminated from the equation by training union firefighters to be paramedics. The village contends that solution will increase the village’s pension obligation.
Rick Urbinati, the president of North Riverside Firefighters Union Local 2714, said he had not yet seen an updated offer from the village but expected to see something Sept. 3.
“From what I understand, they have a compromise proposal for us,” said Urbinati. “We haven’t seen it, so I have no idea what kind of compromise they’re planning at this point. Right now we’re at where we’ve always been.”
The village contends that the burden of firefighters’ pensions — it now stands at about $1.8 million annually and is growing — is too much to bear. One of the reasons the pension burden is so high right now is that, during the past decade, North Riverside has failed to adequately meet its fire and police pension obligations. In several of those years, the village failed to make any contribution toward pensions for police and firefighters.
Firefighters have also complained that they are being made a scapegoat for problems village officials have created over more than two decades, consciously deciding to spend money on programs such as lifetime health insurance for village hall retirees, failing to increase property taxes for more than two decades, and the now-discontinued practice of subsidizing water and waste hauling services for residents.
Union members also believe they are being targeted because North Riverside Firefighters Union Local 2714 backed a political slate opposed to Hermanek and the majority VIP Party in the spring of 2013.
thanks Dan
The sequence of previous posts on this topic:
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#1 by Chuck on September 5, 2014 - 10:02 PM
Why not ask how many Local 2 brethren are working in Palos and Crestwood and Evergreen Park and Lemont. Forget PSI. Earl Field would not hire ANYBODY, much less take an application from anybody who was on an eligibility list for Chicago. A paramedic school acquaintance of mine burned him back in 1985, and after that the first was question at an interview was whether or not you were on a Chicago list. If you answered yes, interview over.
#2 by Chris on September 5, 2014 - 12:16 PM
Drew, I have a question if you don’t mind answering, have you ever been a professional blue shirt? The quick research is you are a long standing chief officer, with great knowledge in the trt area, and been a speaker many times at chief conventions. I know you say you aren’t defending the villages move to ram this privatization down the citizens throat. But it does have that feeling. I hope you can help me see it differently. Because as a tax payer in this town. It SCREAMS pay to play. And i know this is illinois, and it happens. Do it with the garbage contracts, not my safety and protection.
#3 by DMc77 on September 4, 2014 - 11:43 PM
Phil – I would be surprised if there were full time FF/PM’s working for a contract with PSI unless its on a part time basis. Doing a 24 for your primary job then to another 24 at a PSI gig would get old pretty quick. Now union firefghters working part time at other fire departments – thats another story…..
#4 by Phil on September 4, 2014 - 10:39 PM
How many local 2 and other union firefighters are currently selling out there brothers and sisters by working for psi?
#5 by cmk420 on September 4, 2014 - 10:30 PM
To my knowledge, you have to be a firefighter AND a paramedic to be hired by PSI. I could be wrong. I tried several times to apply, but nothing came of it.
I just wish I had a firefighter job of any kind right now. Lost my first and only job, in the field over three years ago & have had terrible luck ever since. So, why are we arguing about what is better when some of us would do anything just to have a job, whether it’s with a private contract company or with a municipal department or fire district.
Oh, and I don’t have a paramedic license either (passed a class, but was not able to pass the state exam), so that doesn’t help either, but that’s another story for another time–I’m off topic.
#6 by Keith Grzadziel on September 4, 2014 - 9:19 AM
Jim, as a union member I am not defending PSI or the dispicable actions from the village of North Riverside, but please be informed of your assumptions here. Although I have never met Drew Smith and we are entitled to our opinions, I believe he still deserves some respect as he is the Deputy Chief of Prospect Heights Fire District.
#7 by Brian on September 4, 2014 - 9:08 AM
Wait so I don’t have to be a certified firefighter to get hired by PSI?
#8 by Jim on September 4, 2014 - 8:00 AM
Drew Smith, stop drinking the PSI kool aid. You can’t tell me it’s working when you look at the turnover rate of PSI employees. I don’t know anyone who’s dream job is working for PSI. It is a stepping stone for people until they can test onto career departments. Testing, that’s a funny word with PSI…. Career departments Test their applicants, mentally and physically, so that only the best of the best are hired. To be hired by PSI, all that’s needed is to fill out an application. I’ve heard the Mayor of North Riverside say over and over again that PSI employees are just as good as the professional career members… Well I have a couple simple questions for the Mayor then…. If a person can’t pass the the testing process developed by your village to be hired, then, how can you say that same person is as qualified as the members that have passed the testing?? You can train a monkey to fill out an application and put on that PSI hat, but does that make them a good fireman?? (comments removed by the webmaster as per our requests for a forum without personal attacks) These members of the North Riverside fire department tested and were selected to be hired. They were the best of the best of their lists. They have continued going to classes and schooling, bettering themselves and in turn the services they can offer the residents of the village. The fact that PSI had been in the town for so long only means one thing…. That they have successfully lined the VIP party’s pockets. If you care to argue that point, I’d just say to do a simple search of D2’s on the state election boards website. Purchasing brand new hose for the fire department helped their cause as well. And in return they got another 5 year no bid contract with a raise every year during that time. So please don’t try and tell me it’s because of their great service because we all know that’s a bunch of BS.
#9 by Drew Smith on September 3, 2014 - 11:20 PM
I can hardly agree that privatization in Lincolnwood is not working. While there may be better ways to run any operation comparing Lincolnwood’s operation to the other two is an apple and oranges comparison. First, there never were any municipal positions replaced or reorganized when the LFD was formed; they were all new positions from the chief down to the firefighters. Second, Lincolnwood has used PSI since 1976 for EMS and 1990 for fire suppression, long before several suburban communities organized any paid positions. In the 12 years I served there many of the residents, especially those who have lived in the village for several decades, were acutely aware that the FD was run by a private company and were very supportive of that decision by the village board. I know this because I was told this repeatedly by those residents. Never once did anyone ever tell us or the board they thought they were getting short changed.
When the village decided to form its FD in 1989 the hiring of its own personnel was not pursued and a contract was solicited. BTW, three of the proposals submitted in 1989 were from PSI, the Village of Skokie (who would have operated as the SFD and not the LFD), and a group of Chicago FD members who would have staffed the LFD on their days off leaving the ambulance with PSI.
Since North Riverside has used PSI for EMS since 1985 there may be some difficulty trying to substantiate that the service is inferior. If those contract medics are also trained as firefighters and have been used as such for the past 29 year the argument gets even weaker. I am not supporting the village’s efforts but rather pointing out what I believe are some of the faults in anti-privatization position voiced here and in other venues.
#10 by Wayne on September 3, 2014 - 10:32 PM
Well said Mike. It’s a shame the media doesn’t report more detail regarding campaign contributions and other areas privatization nightmares, and the like. The transparency would be refreshing, and if the voters are going to have say in these things, necessary.
#11 by Mike on September 3, 2014 - 9:48 PM
I have lots of thoughts and opinions on this.
1st. Yes, I hope the GA and the AFFI have or are going to push that dissolution of a fire department or district shall be the choice of the voters. While this is still a double edge sword it will be what the voters want.
2nd. I think it’s completely disposable that the mayor is not only try to negotiate through the media but that he is also lying to the residents of north riverside.
3rd. It has been shown that PSI donated money to the mayors campaign so isn’t it a little weird that the municipality offers a no bid contract to PSI for services. Also isn’t it illegal for a municipality to just offer no bid contracts.
Lastly, privatization is not the answer. Holding elected officials like the mayor for misappropriating tax dollars is what the answer is. Privatization does not belong in essential services like fire, EMS, police or public works. Perfect examples of privatization not working: oak lawn dispatch, Antioch rescue squad and lincolnwood fire, which BTW is one of several private contracts to organize a unit of labor for better wages an benefits. Privatizing takes away control of the citizens and government and you will be at the mercy of a for profit company. What happens when there is no more profit and they give you 120 days notice of either bankruptcy or just terminating services? Look at rural metro in Indiana.
I can’t speak on behalf of the local but I know that just like any other AFFI local the main goal is the residents and I am sure that North Riversides local has an will find a way. It’s up to the elected officials to pull their heads out of their asses and listen to the professionals.