The city’s firefighter union appeared to douse the heated controversy surrounding its new contract Thursday when it offered a sudden concession.
Union President Ed Kelly presented City Council President Michael Ross with a copy of the concession yesterday after two days and nearly 12 hours of hearings about the issue. The concession would hold off a 2.5 percent raise for a year.
The raise was awarded during arbitration as a result of the firefighters allowing random alcohol and drug testing.
“We wanted to give the council some resources to try to help those working families that are about to be laid off,” Kelly said.
Council members, including Sal LaMattina, who said he would vote against the contract, called the union’s concession “remarkable.”
The council will vote on the contract next week.
