04/09/2024
Taos Professional Firefighters Association IAFF Local 5245 entered into our initial Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations with the Town of Taos on October 6th, 2023. Over the course of the last 6 months, the Local has worked diligently to provide the Town with proposals and counter proposals that cover the mandatory subjects of bargaining (i.e. working conditions, hours, and wages).
Although both sides have tentatively agreed to many articles within the agreement, the Town has refused to provide the Local with an official wage/financial proposal. When asked when one will be provided the Town has continuously kicked the can down the road. Nonetheless, the Local has continued to bargain in good faith and on multiple occasions pointed out to the Town that their tactics could potentially be regressive and surface bargaining.
On March 21st, 2024 the Town submitted the long awaited financial proposal, which would have resulted in a 12% overall decrease in the employeesβ total annual compensation. This proposed decrease would target a Department that is already 14% below regional market value when compared to other Departments with comparable cost of living with in NM. During that bargaining session, the Town was given the opportunity to walk the Local through this proposal with their lead negotiator absent. Instead their lead negotiator was in the next room discussing potential absorption of the Taos Fire Department into Taos County and regionalization of the service. Ultimately the Town requested permission to withdraw the proposal. The Town advised that if the Local granted permission to withdraw, a new one would be presented on Wednesday March 27th. Although the Local perceived the proposal as utterly disrespectful, in the spirit of good faith, the request was granted.
As of April 9th, 2024, a new proposal had not been received. When asked in the April 8th session for the proposal, the Town once again advised that they did not have one. In a show of solidarity, the Local Team walked out of the session.