To the Editor:

So let’s dig into the recent “offer” the City made to Ogdensburg Firefighters Local 1799; It was proclaimed to be “a huge compromise by the City.” First of all, that line is as false as they come. A more accurate way of putting it requires adding a few words; ‘a huge compromise for Local 1799, drawn up by the City.’ That fixes it. They must have decided to shorten it up for appearances.

The truth is, this so-called “offer” is nothing short of an intentional insult; to our members, to all those on both sides who’ve worked together over many years to negotiate contracts, to the collective bargaining process, and to our profession as a whole. In no way can it be seen as a compromise by the City. What it does, is further compromise any chance of good faith between the parties.

So we now know why Steve Jellie always said, “it’s not enough” when we reminded him of what we gave up last year and what we offered recently in contract amendments. This was what he wanted all along and there wasn’t a chance we would have come close to offering what he’s asking for.

Jellie either knows absolutely nothing about the collective bargaining process or simply doesn’t care (or both). He not only attempts to erase the history of our negotiations with the City, he’s looking to strip members of benefits and change how our department is structured. Not through good faith bargaining (give and take), but through taking everything he can in one ludicrous “offer”.

Essentially everything that’s been built up (for a reason) would be wiped out: Minimum manning, officer structure, hazard pay, time off, Codes work, supplemental insurance, EMT pay, and even the contract we signed in 2019, that runs through 2025, would end a lot sooner. We aren’t going to share the details here, but with this “offer” we’d be back at the bargaining table in 2021.

The fact remains, he’s laying off five firefighters unnecessarily, without any real concern for the effects. And his “offer” is most definitely not a reasonable solution to avoid layoffs. It’s like a burglar breaking into your house and saying, ‘I’ll leave the kitchen sink, but I’m taking everything else. Do you accept this “huge compromise” on my part?’

So, the result of Jellie’s ridiculous eleventh hour “offer’, which he’s obviously been holding for months and hasn’t wanted to show, is simply another roadblock to any kind of working relationship. Our members unanimously rejected this “offer” on sight (27-0). So even the five getting laid off didn’t see anything in it that was worth considering to save their jobs. We all see it as just another example of the damage Steve Jellie hopes to inflict on our members, our department, and our community.

We just want to be able to do our job safely and effectively, so we can adequately help those in need.

Sincerely,

Jason T. Bouchard President, IAFF Local 1799