City fire, police contract talks start

The city of Watertown recently began meeting with representatives of its police and fire unions, both of which have labor contracts that expire Tuesday.

"With police, we'll meet again this week," City Manager Mary M. Corriveau said Thursday. "And we have our first session scheduled with fire."

The Police Benevolent Association represents about 60 officers and Watertown Professional Firefighters Local 191 covers about 80 members.

"The pay and benefits and working conditions are normally the major areas of focus in these contract negotiations," said Mrs. Corriveau, who is the city's lead negotiator.

The city and its largest union, Civil Service Employees Association Local 823, reached an agreement in March that increased pay by 2.5 percent annually.

The city, however, asked that the roughly 150 employees the union represents pay more for health insurance premiums, from 10 percent to 12 percent.

The city manager would not comment on negotiations with the police and fire unions.

The current contracts for the police and fire unions were settled well after previous ones expired. The firefighters' contract was approved nine months late in March 2007. The police contract was settled two weeks after the previous contract expired June 30, 2006.

Both groups received pay increases but conceded to pay higher health insurance deductibles.