By Sheila McLaughlin
The Cincinnati Enquirer

BLUE ASH - A proposal for more money and a shorter workweek has pushed the firefighters' union and city to an impasse in contract negotiations.

"We think they simply want way too much," Assistant City Manager David Waltz said Thursday. "We don't think we would be responsible in giving them what they want. It's been very cordial. We just agree to disagree."

The sides meet April 29 with a fact finder, who will hear the case and make a recommendation. If either side rejects the findings, the case goes to arbitration, which would be binding. The contract expired in December.

Firefighters have asked the city to shorten their workweek from 53 hours. The move would make them eligible for overtime pay after 48 hours.

Union officials said it would make up for some of the wages firefighters lost a year ago when the city took away guaranteed overtime.

Until March 2003, full-time firefighters worked a 56-hour week, but received overtime after 53 hours, union spokesman Matt Alter said. But the city changed that to 53 hours, trimming salaries $3,000 to $5,000, he said.

Waltz said the shortened workweek would cost the city about $500,000.

"They (would be) paid the same amount for not working. You have to bring in people to cover that time off or keep them on overtime. It has a ripple effect for everything. They get overtime at a higher rate and quicker, and it's just on and on and on," he said.

Waltz said suburban firedepartments typically work 53-hour weeks, while larger ones such as Cincinnati and Norwood work 48 hours, or two 24-hour shifts.

The federal government allows certain employees, such as firefighters, to work more than a standard 40-hour week before overtime pay is mandatory.

E-mail smclaughlin@enquirer.com