The Janesville City Manager’s Office responds to claims that a proposed health insurance cost hike for firefighters was in response to a dispute about fire department employees washing personal vehicles inside city-owned buildings.
A news release states that the new insurance plan would would actually only cost eight to 11 percent more, and not the 400 percent reported by the Firefighter Union.
City officials say there are a number of fire department practices the public may not be aware of. For instance, firefighters don’t have any other duties when not responding to an emergency yet they are paid their full salary during that down time. The release goes on to say that according to their contract, firefighters must be allowed to watch the state high school basketball tournament, and on-duty firefighters are allowed to wash their personal vehicles inside the fire station using water and other supplies paid for by taxpayers.
The news release says since the firefighters union demanded that the firefighters be treated like firefighters in other departments instead of like other city employees, city officials sought out a new insurance plan that is the average of what is offered in other similar size departments.
The firefighter’s union has filed a “Complaint of Prohibited Practices” with the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, saying the new insurance plan is sub-par and is in retaliation to union members seeking to take advantage of amenities that are included in their contract.
