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Zephyrhills firefighter negotiations stall over drug policy

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By LAURA KINSLER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 6, 2009

ZEPHYRHILLS - The Zephyrhills firefighters' union is on the verge of declaring an impasse in its contract negotiations after failing to reach an agreement after four months.

The city has been attempting to negotiate new three-year contracts with the police and firefighter unions since early July. The police contract needs a little tweaking, but both sides have agreed on all major points, City Manager Steve Spina said.

The firefighter negotiations have stalled. The disagreement isn't over money – it's over policy, union president Shawn Baptist said. Unlike their colleagues in Tampa and Pasco County, Zephyrhills firefighters did not ask for a pay raise.

Baptist said the union wants Zephyrhills to change its drug testing policy so that it mirrors the policy for state employees. Baptist a former fire lieutenant was fired by the city in April after allegedly failing a drug test. He has threatened to sue the city over his termination, but the case currently is in arbitration.

"We want to change it to the Florida statute," Baptist said. "The state statute is actually a little more stringent. It leaves little room for interpretation."

Spina said the city's administrative director is drafting a new drug policy to present to the union. But Baptist has accused the city of failing to negotiate in good faith.

"At our last negotiation meeting on 10/06/09 the city stated that they would have a rough draft on a new drug testing policy in about a week or so and here we are 1 month later and the city as of today still has not provided a copy or a draft to the union thus causing more delays to finalizing the union contract," Baptist wrote in an e-mail.

He gave the city until end of business on Monday to hand over the new drug testing policy. If the two sides can not agree on a contract, the matter would have to be decided by City Council. "And we'll air all the dirty laundry in public," Baptist said.

Reporter Laura Kinsler can be reached at (813) 259-8109.

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