Reducing the amount of paid time off for Muskegon firefighters and cutting back retiree benefits will be the city's top priorities at the bargaining table now that nearly $700,000 in cuts have been approved.
High overtime costs, prompted by the level of vacation and sick time, and skyrocketing pension and retiree health costs are the primary problems facing the department's budget, according to City Manager Frank Peterson.
How firefighters are scheduled and the fact that firefighters and command officers belong to the same union have also helped contribute to a "system/structure that is broken," Peterson said.