OCEAN CITY — After negotiations called “historic,” resort officials this week inked an amended contract that improves wages and benefits for its firefighter-paramedic union and extends it out three years.
The current International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Local 4269 labor agreement was set to expire on June 30, 2024. The looming deadline would have set in motion lengthy negotiations through the collective bargaining process between the union, the Mayor and Council and their attorneys.
However, in a break from tradition, the IAFF Local 4269 President Ryan Whittington approached City Manager Terry McGean and the Mayor and Council about a somewhat informal process to engage in a non-binding limited re-opening of the agreement to negotiate an extension.
Traditionally, collective bargaining labor agreement negotiations can become acrimonious with battles over the finer points. With the extension approved on Monday, the somewhat informal negotiations were described a harmonious. The Mayor and Council agreed to sit down at the table with the IAFF leadership to work out the details of the extension in an informal setting while taking a deeper dive into some of the issues. The result was the document signed by IAFF leaders and the council and city manager on Monday.
“Some time ago, President Whittington approached the Mayor and Council and the city manager about amending the existing IAFF contract,” said McGean. “We all decided the best approach was to look at it a little more informally instead of locking ourselves in the conference room with two lawyers.”
Booooohisssss i was looking forward to the every couple of years OC fire depart vs City Fail. Always was great mud slingin drama, as well as breakfast talk.