OGDENSBURG — Arbitration between the city of Ogdensburg and the union representing its firefighters begins Thursday.
City Manager Stephen P. Jellie confirmed that arbitration will take place beginning at 10 a.m. in the City Council chambers at City Hall.
The arbitration is a result of alleged contract violations regarding minimum staffing at the Ogdensburg Fire Department. Ogdensburg Professional Firefighters Local 1799 filed several grievances over its collective bargaining agreement that states the department cannot go below 24 firefighters.
In 2021, the fire department had 21 fire personnel which later dropped to 18 in the 2022 budget.
On March 19, 2021, the city was granted a permanent stay of arbitration by state Supreme Court Judge Mary M. Farley but the union successfully appealed the decision in January before the state Appellate Division in Albany.
