Union approves contract

Kalispell firefighters unanimously ratified a new contract with the city on Monday night.

International Association of Fire Fighters Local 547 Secretary F. Ray Ruffatto said the union will forward the contract to the city this week.

The City Council is slated to consider ratification at its meeting Monday.

Ruffatto said some of the firefighters were “a little put out by some comments from the public.

“Our biggest concern is public safety” and keeping everyone employed helps to do that, he said.

The city and firefighters union renegotiated a three-year contract recently after the union prevailed in an arbitration ruling.

Seven firefighter jobs were at stake without the revamped contract, which avoids layoffs of Kalispell firefighters.

The arbitrator’s ruling would have imposed major new costs on the city. The new contract would save $324,000, City Manager Jane Howington has said.

The new contract enables firefighters to keep hourly raises and longevity increases, but requires each of them to take one unpaid Kelly Day per 28-day pay period. In addition, firefighters will no longer get paid to work each other’s Kelly Days.