North Shore Firefighters Union battle with board over 2014 budget

BROWN DEER (WITI) -- North Shore firefighters say due to a change in the 2014 budget, they'll pay 300% more for their health insurance. The health insurance hike was approved by a vote by the North Shore Fire Department's Board of Directors on Tuesday, September 10th.

The issue is over health insurance for future retirees. The North Shore Fire Department says it has a plan to fund benefits when firefighters retire, but the union isn't happy.

A packed room, filled with firefighters and their families listened Tuesday as the North Shore Fire Department approved its 2014 budget.

North Shore Firefighters Union President Steve Tippel lashed out at board members for requiring firefighters to pay more of their share of health insurance costs.

"You're turning your back on the very ones that are protecting you. This is wrong and you should be ashamed of yourselves," Tippel said.

"Other employees of all of these communities have had to deal with the same issues in terms of cost of health insurance and reduced benefits," North Shore Fire Department Board President Carl Krueger said.

Currently, a single firefighter pays $3,000 out of pocket, and a family pays $6,000. That would go up to $8,000 and $12,000 respectively in 2014.

"Those bills rack up and for me it's not if I work, continue to work a second job but do I pick up a third job? We have a dual income family and things are not cheap these days. I want to be there for her, and if I pick up a second or third job, it will be tough," Cal Chapman said.

Chapman says he is thinking about his two-month-old daughter, who came into the world five weeks early, with medical problems.

"The department structurally has problems that they need to fix. They are choosing not to fix the structural problems but rather take that money out of the firefighters' backs," Tippel said.

The board says the move was in the best interest of the taxpayers and maintaining service.

The firefighters' contract says the department must contribute 65% to firefighters' health insurance costs. However, because of state law, the employer has complete control over where the money goes. In this case, a portion is going into a savings account for retirees.