NEW: Fire Department Facing Layoffs Too

NEW: Fire Department Facing Layoffs Too

Providence firefighters could be the next group of employees targeted for layoffs if the Fire Department cannot find the $6 million in savings Mayor Angel Taveras has requested, city officials have confirmed.

The firefighters' union agreed to a new contract year (after working almost seven years without an agreement), but Taveras is asking for concessions given the city's looming $110 million structural deficit. The Mayor has asked the firefighters to take a pay cut, give up a three percent raise due at the end of the month, and a reduction in the mandatory minimum number of firefighters working each shift.

In an e-mail to GoLocalProv, City Spokeswoman Melissa Withers would not elaborate on where talks with the fire union stand. "Negotiations are ongoing," she wrote.

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The city announced last week that the Providence Police Department could layoff between 60-80 police officers if the union couldn't find $6 million in savings. On Thursday, Public Safety Commissioner said the plan was to move forward with the layoffs.

During his budget address last month, Mayor Taveras outlined a number of requests to help balance the city budget, including ten percent reductions in both the fire and police departments.