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City of Vancouver, Washington

 Vancouver Firefighters Agree to Waive Pay Increase for 2009 -- News Conference at 1 Today

Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Contact: Pat McDonnell, Vancouver City Manager – (360) 696-8121 Mark Johnston, IAFF Local 452 President – (360) 901-1638 Don Bivins, Vancouver Fire Chief – (360) 735-8798 Jim Flaherty, Vancouver Fire Dept. PIO – (360) 418-5429

In announcing a Press conference today, December 30, 2008, at 1 PM Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard said that "Vancouver Firefighters saved more than lives today. They saved the city over $700,000."

The 1 PM press conference will be at Fire Station 81 (63rd St. & Andresen Rd.) with Mayor Pollard, Union President Mark  Johnston and Chief Bivins speaking.

Watch the news conference on the Web from CVTV

On Tuesday, December 30th, members of the Vancouver Firefighters Union approved by a 91% vote of its membership an unprecedented proposal: to voluntarily waive a previously agreed to 4% pay increase for 2009 in light of the tough economic times facing the city. The savings to the city amounts to over $700,000 in 2009.

Mark Johnston, President of the Vancouver Firefighters Union, was quoted as saying, "Our members overwhelmingly supported this proposal in order to ensure that citizens of the Vancouver Fire Department receive the fire and emergency medical services protection they deserve. Numerous members commented that they couldn't accept a 4% pay increase when their next door neighbors were being laid off and their coworkers across the city were facing significant cuts."

On December 16th , Johnston and his fellow executive board members proposed waiving the salary increase to Mayor Pollard and City Manager Pat McDonnell in a meeting the union requested in response to serious concerns about the economic impacts Vancouver is facing. Due to union bylaws, a vote on the proposal could not conclude until today.

Mayor Pollard was clearly pleased and proud of the Firefighters Union, stating, "This extreme act of selflessness informs all of us of the incredible people we have working for our fire department. Let there be no doubt that this is a courageous stand. I want to extend my great respect and admiration to the Vancouver Firefighters Union for their dedication to this community."

Don Bivins, Vancouver's Fire Chief, added, "The men and women of the Vancouver Fire Department sacrifice physically every day in service to this community. Now they are sacrificing financially as well. In today's society, we often read of selfishness and personal excesses. It warms my heart to see these incredible men and women extending themselves in such a selfless way!"

Facts: The Vancouver Fire Department serves a combined population of 241,018 people over a 92 square mile area. The fire department employs 205 personnel, 164 of which are union firefighters. As the fourth largest fire department in Washington, Vancouver has the lowest ratio of firefighters to population served (.70 per 1,000) of all of the comparable cities in Washington state (average is 1.61 per 1,000). Vancouver responded to 21,326 emergencies last year.

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