ORONO — The town of Orono and the union that represents its municipal firefighters are mired in an ongoing contract negotiation that appears to be at an impasse.
Both sides began negotiating a new contract before June 30, when the most recent deal expired, but the town and the union are still at odds.
Maria Weinberger, Orono’s interim town manager, stressed that the town’s 14 full-time firefighters, represented by the Professional Firefighters of Maine, a division of the International Association of Firefighters, are not operating without a contract. The existing contract has a clause that allows it to remain in place until a new deal is reached.
Similarly, Ronald Green, a regional vice president for the firefighters union, said negotiations are held in executive session and the details would not be made public until a deal is reached.
A source familiar with the negotiations said the union has agreed to a contract that has no cost-of-living wage increases as well as a new insurance plan that costs firefighters more money. The town has not agreed to some smaller requests, including allowing firefighters to swap or trade time and not allowing contracts to exceed two years without approving cost-of-living increases after the second year, the source said.
Weinberger said she couldn’t comment on the town’s negotiating position other than to say that even though the firefighters are asking for things, it doesn’t mean they will get them.
Contract talks are currently in mediation, but it’s unclear whether the matter will be settled soon.
A similar labor contract between the town of Orono and the union that represents its municipal police officers also expired June 30. By then, a new contract already had been settled and started without delay and without drama July 1.
The last contract between the town and the firefighters, which was agreed upon in 2007, did not feature a protracted negotiation battle, Weinberger said.