Firefighter union leader’s deal with city should be renegotiated: Mayor’s office

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This article was published 08/01/2018 (2823 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mayor Brian Bowman has indicated the controversial clause which has resulted in firefighter union leader Alex Forrest’s salary being paid in part, or in full, by the city for years should be renegotiated in the next round of collective bargaining.

The city had historically paid 100 per cent of Forrest’s salary and benefits, with no reimbursement from the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg (UFFW), according to a spokesman for the mayor. That changed in March 2014, when it was agreed the city would pay for 60 per cent of Forrest’s six-figure union salary and benefits — including sick time, overtime pay, and pension payments.

It remains unclear whether the city has been paying Forrest’s salary and benefit costs since he became union president in 1997. He is a captain in the Winnipeg fire department, with 27 years of firefighting experience, Forrest’s biography page on the UFFW website says.

“All of these decision predated Mayor Bowman, who was elected mayor in October 2014. Like councillors, the mayor was made aware of this agreement late last week,” a spokesman for the mayor wrote in an email Monday.

“Mayor Bowman recognizes the 2014 agreement represents a better deal for taxpayers, and feels the agreement should be honoured as agreed to in good faith. He will be recommending that this issue be considered in an open and transparent way in the next round of collective bargaining.”

Both the taxpayers and the rank and file of the local firefighters union should be concerned by news of this “unusual” agreement, according to Todd MacKay, prairie director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

“This is a bad arrangement. Taxpayers should not be paying for positions in other organizations like unions. They’re paying for firefighters to keep them safe through taxes, certainly, but this is really wrong,” MacKay said.

“Most unions are responsible for their own bills. They’re happy to pay their own bills. I think it’s very odd this union is passing their bills onto the taxpayers. I’m not aware of any other situation where taxpayers are on the hook for a salary that should ultimately be paid for by the union,” he said.

“Why didn’t (the city) fix the problem entirely (in 2014)? When you realize you’re doing something wrong, you don’t do less of a bad thing, you stop doing the bad thing completely. The reduction indicates they recognized they were doing something wrong. They need to fix it and rip up this deal entirely,” MacKay said.

He also said out the union rank and file should be concerned over the disclosure of the agreement, as it creates a potential conflict of interest.

“Think about it from the other side. If the city managers handling the firefighters’ budget were getting 60 per cent of their salaries paid by the union, people’s eyebrows would be raised pretty high,” he said. “They (the firefighters) need to know their management is working for them. You have to have very clear lines on this stuff.

“This type of arrangement makes the lines very blurry and that can only end badly.”

After news of the agreement broke, Forrest defended the arrangement over the weekend by pointing out he sits on several civic committees and has worked as a liaison for the city emergency response services negotiations with the province.

However, Michelle Finley of the city’s communications department, said Forrest “does not perform any work on behalf of the City of Winnipeg and does not represent the City of Winnipeg on any committee, civic or otherwise.”

When reached for comment Monday, Garth Smorang, legal representative of the UFFW, said the arrangement was not unusual, despite admitting it wasn’t common and being unable to think of another example in the city’s public sector.

“That doesn’t mean this isn’t done in the public sector. From the employer’s point of view, this can be money well-spent, it can actually save the employer money and give them larger access to the union representative,” Smorang said. “I don’t think anyone would ever accuse Alex (Forrest) of being in any way in conflict in terms of who he represents. He represents his members, and he does so aggressively.”

Forrest earned $116,342 in 2016, according to the city’s annual compensation disclosure, meaning nearly $70,000 was paid by taxpayers.

Two city councillors contacted by the Free Press both expressed concern over the agreement. Coun. Russ Wyatt (Transcona) called it “outrageous;” Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) said he was “disappointed” and “surprised.”

In addition, Browaty said based on discussions he’s had with other city councillors, it would appear there is little to no support on council for the arrangement.

A request for an interview with Bowman was declined Monday.

Forrest has said he’s planning to stand again for another two-year term as union president in February.

— with files from Alexandra Paul

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @rk_thorpe