A federal arbitrator has ruled that the city of Springfield must have at least 49 firefighters on duty every day.

The decision,
in which arbitrator Dennis Maloney found in favor of the Springfield
firefighters union and against Mayor Mike Houston’s administration,
would return the minimum manning level to 49 from the current 46.

The decision will mean a fire truck that was shut down because of the
lower manning standard will go back in operation, the union’s president
said. It also ends a 10-month long dispute over the fire department’s
minimum manning requirements.

Tony Burton, president of International Association of Fire Fighters
Local 37, said the union’s goal since March has been to see manning
levels return to 49 firefighters.

“It’s a safety issue,” he said. “I believe it’s a win for the public and for the firefighters.”

Impact not clear

It’s unclear how the decision will affect the city financially. Houston
said he couldn’t comment on the arbitrator’s decision because the city
has not received the ruling.

Under the administration of Mayor Frank Edwards, the minimum number of firefighters required to be on duty was reduced from 49 to 46 in order to cut spending.

The arbitrator originally encouraged both sides to settle the matter
themselves. Maloney gave the union and city until Jan. 1 to do so,
Burton said.

A tentative agreement
was reached under which the manning requirement was to return to 49 in
exchange for the union dropping a claim for up to $850,000 in back pay.
The administration attempted to schedule the settlement for council
debate at a meeting Dec. 20, but a motion to do so failed for a lack of a
second.

News of the arbitrator’s decision came as aldermen met in committee Tuesday to discuss the settlement proposal.

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The January Union Meetings will be held on the 9th and 16th.