View the original

Mayor David S. Smith endorses the package cobbled together by the union, Local 291 of the International Association of Fire Fighters.

Tom Stoughton, chairman of the City Council's finance committee, predicted last night that the full council will approve the package, too.

"Certainly, if they bring forward $340,000 of concessions, that's significant," Stoughton said.

Firefighters have agreed to give back their 3 percent wage increase for 2009, and to reduce minimum-staffing levels to cut back on overtime pay, union President K.J. Watts said.

"The five have their layoff notices in hand, so we're trying to do this as fast as we can because it's going to save their jobs," he said.