A compromise in a yearlong dispute over shift schedules between Ocean City emergency personnel and the town has come to a close.
But both sides didn't walk away pleased. The International Association of Firefighters Local 4269, which represents Ocean City's firefighters, says a compromise was needed and the dispute needed to end.
"The new shift schedule brought by the town is not in the best interest of the firefighters or the citizens," Local 4269 President Ryan Whittington said.
The new shift schedules will consist of two 10-hour day shifts, followed by two 14-hour night shifts, followed by four days off. Additionally, emergency personnel will receive 1.5 percent cost of living adjustments in July 2017 and 2018.
The new schedules are placed under a three-year contract and will go into effect as early as Oct. 1. The agreement will remain in effect until July 2019.
The push to the new schedule was celebrated by the council, Mayor Rick Meehan said in a statement.
"We are pleased to receive the news that the IAFF has ratified the contract offer presented by the mayor and council," Meehan said. "After more than a year of bargaining, it is now time to move forward, without looking back."
The shift debate was originally sparked by the town's proposal to switch from 24-hour on, 72-hour off shift schedules, a traditional shift schedule for firefighters and EMS, to a series of 12-hour blocks.
IAFF Local 4269 objected to this proposal, claiming the 24-72 shift schedule was optimal for response times. While open to shift changes, the IAFF has insisted on performing its own trial runs of different schedules to find the one that works most efficiently.
The call to reach an agreement came from binding interest arbitration, a process of using a neutral third party to help reach a compromise,in June 2016. Binding interest arbitration is a common practice for reaching resolutions, used in Baltimore, Anne Arundel and Howard counties.
The request for arbitration was granted in January, with arbitrator M. David Vaughn serving as a intermediary . Despite both sides agreeing that significant strides had been made, a resolution was ultimately not reached as a result of the meeting.
"This has been a lengthy process, and we recognize that the perpetual conflict was only going to end up being detrimental to the citizens," Whittington said.
Meehan, recognizing the concerns of the of the IAFF, said that the town will work diligently to guide the IAFF into the new scheduling seamlessly.
"We know change can be challenging, but we are committed to working closely with the IAFF and are confident that we will make a smooth transition to this new schedule," Meehan said.
While the IAFF stance remains in opposition of the town's view against 24-hour shifts, both the town and the union agree on one sentiment: An ongoing battle for compromise only creates victims of the community, and the time to move on had arrived.
"While we might not be happy with the results or agree with the town's view, all dragging out this process was going to do was make it more and more difficult for our firefighters and EMS professionals to do their jobs," Whittington said. "Right now, we're just looking to move on and move forward."