PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The City Council approved a five-year contract with the city's firefighters union on Wednesday that will let the city close six fire stations, cut 108 already vacant firefighter positions and freeze salaries for two years, among other cuts.
The council voted 7-2 in favor of the contract, with Luke Ravenstahl and Doug Shields opposing the measure, which was intended to allow the city to abide by its Act 47 economic recovery plan.
The plan requires the city to cut $10.7 million in firefighter costs this year. Mayor Tom Murphy has said the new contract will save the city some $20 million over its span, but detractors say a no-layoff clause in the contract could undo some of those savings.
Firefighters will pay more for health care, as will future retirees. The contract also cuts four holidays a year, leaving the firefighters with 10 paid holidays, and gives each firefighter no more than 20 vacation days each year starting in 2006.
The union voted overwhelmingly to approve the deal on Friday.
On Monday, the city will start closing the stations, including the 104-year-old structure in the city's Troy Hill neighborhood, whose residents turned out in force in a failed attempt to block the new contract Wednesday. Firefighters in those six stations will seek positions in other stations.
City operations director Bob Kennedy said officials hope to keep using the old fire station buildings to house city vehicles or for other uses.
