Fire, police unions in negotiations for new contracts

When representatives of the fire and police department unions enter into negotiations with the city, much more is on the table than just wages and benefits. While compensation is no doubt a top consideration, negotiators also want to address a long list of conditions of employment and hammering out the details can take some time.

The negotiation process, undertaken in Rice Lake about every two years, has started for both fire and police unions as negotiators on both sides seek to come to terms with wish lists that will eventually culminate in contracts stretching for more than 20 pages.

Todd Larson helms the City Council’s Personnel and Negotiating Committee, which in concert with the city administrator, negotiates on behalf of the city of Rice Lake. The municipality also has an attorney on retainer for answering any legal questions that may arise.

Each side presents their proposals, or wish lists, at the beginning of negotiations, Larson said. Then they adjourn to their own separate rooms to caucus, and discuss what they like and dislike. The opposite sides will then return to meet face-to-face to continue discussions. This process repeats as long as necessary.

“It can go back and forth multiple times,” Larson said.

Rice Lake Fire Department firefighters are organized under the Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 1793, which is a member of the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin and International Association of Fire Fighters. Eric Mattmiller serves as union president on the local level, and he plus the vice president, secretary and alternate delegate comprise the negotiating team.

“We draft a list of things that we want to negotiate on, and then they hand us a list of things they want to negotiate on,” Mattmiller said.

The IAFF doesn’t negotiate on the local union’s behalf but will help members find the resources necessary to compare their jobs with other unionized fire departments, Mattmiller said.

The city and Rice Lake Fire Department have a list of comparable cities from which they draw data for comparing such things and wages and benefits. This can serve as their starting point when making their offers.

The city met with the Rice Lake Professional Police Association on Sept. 6 to exchange proposals and will meet again in October. The Fire Department union also will start negotiations in October. The goal is to obtain tentative approvals by both parties at the negotiation table subject to ratification by each union and the City Council, interim-City Administrator Shawn Murphy said.

Negotiations take place as the City Council begins the 2025 budget process, but it’s not a foregone conclusion that the contracts will be signed before the Fire Department and Police Department budgets are settled. It would be ideal to finish before budget-time, but that more than likely won’t happen, Larson said.

During Larson’s tenure as committee chair, negotiations have never broken down. But if they do, a mediator from the state steps in to help reach an agreement, he said. If that doesn’t work, the matter goes to binding arbitration, where each side presents its final offer and the arbiter chooses one or the other.

“There’s no more give and take, it’s either A or B,” Larson said.

But the committee chair noted that in Rice Lake negotiations are always handled on a professional level, without rancor.

“It’s not a fight, so the discussions are usually very cordial,” Larson said. “But each side has a job to do.”