from press releases

The International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 1934, has agreed to wage concessions that will prevent the closure of Fire Station No. 3 and the layoffs of six fire personnel in Redding.

The IAFF Local 1934, which represents 71 Redding firefighting personnel, approved concessions that will postpone annual step increases that would have occurred between October 2009 and October 2010. In addition, each employee will pay approximately $72.26 per pay period toward health care insurance premiums. The concessions will result in a total savings of $670,000.

The Redding City Council on September 1 approved budget reductions totaling approximately $3.8 million from the General Fund, including the closure of Station No. 3 on Westside Road in South Redding. The concessions will allow the station to operate and avoid taking one of the department’s engines out of service, according to Fire Chief Kevin Kreitman.

Kreitman and City Manager Kurt Starman said they were pleased that the city and Fire Fighters Association were able to work cooperatively to achieve a positive result for the citizens of Redding.

In addition to the wage concessions, the association also agreed to extend its current labor contract two additional years to January 1, 2014, with no additional cost­-of­-living increases.