BREAKING: Providence Firefighters Score Court Victory Against Elorza’s Staffing Plan
Kate Nagle, GoLocalProv News Editor
BREAKING: Providence Firefighters Score Court Victory Against Elorza’s Staffing Plan
In a ten page decision, Lanphear said the three platoon structure was a management right, but “The effects of the implementation of the three-platoon structure including wages, rates of pay, hours and other terms and conditions of employment shall be resolved pursuant to the grievance procedures set forth in Article XVI, Section 1 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.”
"The only people who would be surprised by the Judge's decision today would be the city and the second-rate labor lawyer they're using," said Paul Doughty, President of the Firefighters Local 799. "It's important to note that the judge in this case didn't "split the baby." Make no mistake, this was a victory for the firefighters."
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"Of course we fully expect [Elorza] to spin it that he's still confident in his legal standing. And the taxpayer needs to keep an eye on this," Doughty continued. "If we win in court, where his odds of winning are now lower -- if the bill comes due, it's going to be a hit to the city of $12 million to $20 million a year. This was ill-thought out, ill-conceived, and illegal. If he loses, he might was well hand the keys to the city over to a bankruptcy judge."
Elorza remained confident in the city's position on Thursday.
"I am excited that the Judge affirmed the City's management right to restructure the fire department, an action that will reduce excessive overtime and save taxpayers $5-7 million annually. On the procedural question, the judge decided that both parties must go to arbitration. I am confident that going forward, an arbitrator or judge will also agree that the city has the management right to restructure the fire department," said Elorza in a statement.
Thursday's Ruling
Moreover, Lanphear affirmed that, “If the grievance procedures do not resolve the disputes, grievance arbitration pursuant to Article XVI, Section 2 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement shall apply, and the decision of the Arbitrator shall be final and binding as the Collective Bargaining Agreement provides.”
The financial impact of the Lanphear decision is unknown. What is known is that the dispute will continue and there is little motivation for the firefighter’s union to negotiate a resolution with the Elorza Administration
As GoLocal reported earlier:
In May, Elorza announced that as part of addressing the city's structural deficit, he was reorganizing the Providence Fire Department from four platoons to three, which he said could save as much as $5 million annually -- and firefighters have been opposing since.
"I hope the auditor has done some models. It's our estimation that the best case scenario is $2 million in savings and worst case, a $12 million loss," said Local 799 President Paul Doughty on Friday.
Active Fire Fighters Making Over $100K
63.
Name: John Romano
Job Description: Fire Lieutenant
Total: $100,284.45
62.
Name: Timothy Gingell
Job Description: Fire Lieutenant
Total: $100,310.16
61.
Robert Barrett Jr.
Job Description: Fire Lieutenant
Total: $100,431.68
60.
Name: Tim Whalen
Job Description: Air Supply Technician
Total: $100,459.35
59.
Name: Rocco Sauro
Job Description: Fire Lieutenant
Total: $100,788.66
58.
Name: Matthew Randall
Job Description: Firefighter
Total: $101,257.61
57.
Name: Robert Jackson
Job Description: Fire Lieutenant
Total: $101,533.24
56.
Name: Garrison Roun
Job Description: Fire Captain
Total: $103,287.08
55.
Name: Jason White
Job Description: Fire Rescue Lieutenant
Total: $103,451.16
54.
Name: Robert Randle
Job Description: Fire Lieutenant
Total: $104,221.73
53.
Name: Joseph Vingi Jr.
Job Description: Fire Lieutenant
Total: $104,299.27
52.
Name: Stephen Capracotta
Job Description: Fire Captain
Total: $104,762.46
51.
Name: Jason Houle
Job Description: Fire Captain
Total: $104,802.19
50.
Name: Kevin Bross
Job Description: Fire Lieutenant
Total: $105,201.83
49.
Name: Joseph Dillon
Job Description: Fire Lieutenant
Total: $105,294.56
48.
Name: Michael Bates
Job Description: Fire Captain
Total: $105,308.71
47.
Name: Peter McMichael
Job Description: Fire Prevention Captain
Total: $106,310.09
46.
Name: Daniel Rinaldi
Job Description: Firefighter
Total: $106,665.69
45.
Name: Kenneth Prew
Job Description: Fire Captain
Total: $106,780.96
44.
Name: James Taylor
Job Description: Chief of Communications (Fire)
Total: $106,787.65
43.
Name: Joseph Fontaine
Job Description: Fire Captain
Total: $107,737.39
42.
Name: Scott Shangraw
Job Description: Fire Lieutenant
Total: $109,366.95
41.
Name: Kenneth Cirelli
Job Description: Acting Fire Battalion Chief
Total: $109,704.81
40.
Name: Stephen Houle
Job Description: Fire Captain
Total: $109,753.32
39.
Name: Sean Reddy
Job Description: Firefighter Car 79
Total: $109,873.05
38.
Name: Heidi Rivard
Job Description: Fire Rescue Captain
Total: $111,434.29
37.
Name: Dennis Tucker
Job Description: Fire Lieutenant
Total: $111,456.06
36.
Name: Vincent Clements
Job Description: Dispatcher Lieutenant
Total: $111,497.41
35.
Name: John Healey Jr.
Job Description: Fire Battalion Chief
Total: $111,715.94
34.
Name: Kevin Dolan
Job Description: Fire Captain
Total: $112,870.75
33.
Name: David Plante
Job Description: Fire Captain
Total: $113,559.71
32.
Name: Michael Peck Jr.
Job Description: Fire Rescue Lieutenant
Total: $113,686.14
31.
Name: John Hannon
Job Description: Fire Lieutenant
Total: $113,746.06
30.
Name: Stephen Siravo
Job Description: Fire Captain
Total: $114,029.68
29.
Name: Kenneth Bager
Job Description: Fire Lieutenant
Total: $114,181.03
28.
Name: Joseph Misto Jr.
Job Description: Dispatcher Lieutenant
Total: $114,469.25
27.
Name: Dennis Vecchiarino
Job Description: Fire Captain
Total: $115,463.24
26.
Name: Kristopher Wright
Job Description: Firefighter
Total: $115,583.06
25.
Name: Jeffrey Gallo
Job Description: Acting Fire Battalion Chief
Total: $116,343.31
24.
Name: Paul Picozzi
Job Description: Fire Lieutenant
Total: $117,054.02
23.
Name: Michael O'Toole
Job Description: Chief of Operations/Fire Dept
Total: $117,371.94
22.
Name: Kenneth Rainone
Job Description: Acting Fire Battalion Chief
Total: $118,216.87
21.
Name: Paul Doughty
Job Description: Firefighter Car 79
Total: $119,162.01
20.
Name: Thomas Miller
Job Description: Fire Rescue Lieutenant
Total: $121,031.48
19.
Name: Scott Mello
Job Description: Assistant Fire Chief
Total: $122,100.94
18.
Name: Kevin Jutras
Job Description: Fire Captain
Total: $122,219.25
17.
Name: Brian Mahoney
Job Description: Fire Captain
Total: $122,257.14
16.
Name: John Devlin Jr.
Job Description: Fire Lieutenant
Total: $122,648.91
15.
Name: Antiliano Estrella
Job Description: Fire Lieutenant
Total: $123,571.77
14.
Name: Andrea Stukus
Job Description: Fire Rescue Lieutenant
Total: $127,048.46
13.
Name: David Palumbo
Job Description: Fire Rescue Captain
Total: $127,059.23
12.
Name: J.J. Varone
Job Description: Fire Battalion Chief
Total: $133,385.1
11.
Name: David Soscia
Job Description: Acting Deputy Asst. Chief
Total: $134,671
10.
Name: William Kenyon
Job Description: Acting Deputy Asst. Chief
Total: $134,914.97
9.
Name: William Lynch
Job Description: Fire Rescue Captain
Total: $135,550.58
8.
Name: Christopher Brochu
Job Description: Fire Rescue Lieutenant
Total: $137,698.67
7.
Name: Peter Tagliaferri
Job Description: Fire Rescue Lieutenant
Total: $138,730.29
6.
Name: Thomas Cassin
Job Description: Fire Captain
Total: $139,499.51
5.
Name: Joseph Desmarais
Job Description: Deputy Ass'T Fire Chief
Total: $147,588.93
4.
Name: James Mirza
Job Description: Deputy Ass'T Fire Chief
Total: $153,163.4
3.
Name: Clarence Cunha
Job Description: Fire Chief
Total: $154,609.65
2.
Name: Zachariah Kenyon
Job Description: Fire Rescue Captain
Total: $161,117.57
1.
Name: Vincet D'Ambra
Job Description: Fire Rescue Captain
Total: $188,734.29
