Firefighters’ Union Declares Impasse In Contract Negotiations With Coral Gables

Official Press Release of the IAFF Local 1210 Coral Gables Firefighters’ Union

The Coral Gables Professional Firefighters Association Local 1210 announced today that it has declared impasse in its negotiations with the City of Coral Gables after more than two years of no progress towards reaching an agreement. The association noted that negotiations have been underway since the height of the pandemic in September 2020, without any tangible offers from the city that would solve for the
current or future needs of its firefighters or its residents and businesses.

“For the past two years we have negotiated in good faith with the best interests of our bargaining unit and our citizens in mind,” said Coral Gables Firefighters Local 1210 President David Perez. “Given the caliber of service that our firefighters provide and the proposed expansions to our service area, it is difficult to characterize why administrators would prefer to spend taxpayer dollars and valuable resources on impasse proceedings rather than coming to a fair agreement that would prepare Coral Gables for the future rather than solve for the past.”

In addition to the 30 new buildings that are already in the pipeline for the city, which will require recruiting an additional four dozen firefighters, there are proposals being put forth to annex additional parts of Miami-Dade County, including Little Gables, High Pines and Ponce Davis. In total, these new annexations would add almost 900 acres of service area, equaling to a 10% increase in residents.

With already more than a 14% increase in call volume over the past five years, the association is asking the city to negotiate with them on a contract that is not only proportionate to the level of service that is already being provided, but on the services and labor force that will be needed as the city continues to grow.

“Our firefighters make up an elite group of professionals who are highly-rated and accredited and who exceed the national standards for service. They are representative of what Coral Gables residents have come to expect from its first responders for almost 75 years,” added Perez. “Negotiating in bad faith is not conducive to attracting top-tier talent, particularly at a time when the administration is attempting to increase its service areas through proposed annexations that do not meet the standards or ratios required for operations.”

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13 thoughts on “Firefighters’ Union Declares Impasse In Contract Negotiations With Coral Gables

  1. The City’s position is untenable and outlandish.

    There is so much unnecessary crap that the Commission spends our money on.

    A Noble Prize winner in economics once said “When government does what it is not supposed to do it winds up not doing what it is supposed to do.”

    That is happening here. Fire rescue is a CORE function of local government. These men and women must be paid accordingly, and the Commission must slash its ridiculous level of spending on silly things.

  2. The city forgets that what makes the city so beautiful are the services. The services are provided by people. Do all of the wage studies and salary comparisons that you want, but if you do not keep up with market conditions, the employees that provide those services will leave to go elsewhere. There are many other employers hiring. It’s just a matter of how many will be left to provide services in Coral Gables.

  3. I would like to know in addition to what other comments have asked, How many times they receive various calls and they are delay because not enough firefighters in the city.
    A Fair salary and Fair benefits is reasonable for both the firefighters and residents that pay the bils

  4. I support giving our firefighters fair compensation. When my husband had a stroke they showed up within minutes and helped to save his life. I will be showing up to city hall to voice my support. This is deplorable behavior from the city.

  5. Resident for 25 yrs and retired 32 yr of service firefighter with the City “Beautiful” it seems this City will never change, it’s been every time we go into negotiations the City would always negotiate in bad faith. Since my brothers and sisters on the department wear there badge proudly to make the City look good, I would love to see them “ALL” if they could picket and start calling in sick so that the City sees themselves having to start paying overtime.
    “It would be nice if we could negotiate and approve our own contracts, like our City Manager and Commissioners do and give themselves and others those outrageous pay raises”.
    I sure hope and pray that our City Manager or Commissioners would never need to call 911 and have one of our finest firefighter show up to help you out and/or save your life’s , and you look them in the eye and tell them I’m sorry for treating you like crap.
    I’ve also been wondering to myself if the City has ever sat back and wondered why is it that we can’t keep employees and why they are constantly leaving the City to other departments within the County.
    So please reconsider going back to the table in good faith and come to a reasonable contract, that would put our firefighter at a comparable salary and COLA to the other departments within the County these guys really deserve it for risking there life everyday.

    Sincerely,
    Angelo

  6. Seems moronic to annex High Pines & Ponce Davis neighborhoods when they are 1) SO FAR away from the main Fire/ Police Station & 2) there’s a firefighter shortage. Only Little Gables should be annexed! What type of pay increase are the firefighters asking? The 1 year CPI was 6.5% & even Social Security benefits went up. The City should match what the federal government is offering.

  7. This is shameful behavior from a city that boasts about its services, depends on them during pandemics, then denies them adequate compensation. Stop this foolishness and negotiate in good faith.

  8. Should not be caught “playing politics” here. And the continued impasse, and not negotiating in good faith, is inexcusable. Firefighters deserve not only our verbal support, but increased financial and benefits support —- NOW!!

  9. I support the Firefighters Unions calls for more firefighters — in the face of ever more large buildings going up, and no additional firefighters since 1992 — and I believe Covid exposure on the job entitles them to authentic workplace insurance for this exposure.

    Sincerely,

    Jackson Rip Holmes

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