ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – The union representing St. Johns County firefighters says its members have been working without a contract since Oct. 1, and that negotiations with the county have moved into a formal state impasse process that could ultimately go before county commissioners.
The St. Johns County Professional Firefighters and Paramedics, IAFF Local 3865, filed a notice of impasse with the Florida Public Employees Relations Commission, according to documents obtained by News4JAX reporter Briana Brownlee.
The filing is dated Jan. 19 and asks the state to provide a special magistrate panel — a step that can bring in a neutral third party if talks fail to produce an agreement.
RELATED | Burned Out: St. Johns County Fire Union pushes for healthier work-life balance
Union President David Stevens said the filing is meant to move the process forward while negotiations continue.
“So when you declare impasse, what you do is you file with PERC, and you let them know you’re in an impasse, and then you’re assigned a special magistrate and the special magistrate is a neutral third party that will come in, and they’ll listen to both sides, and they try to get you toward resolution,” Stevens said.
Union leaders say they entered negotiations months ago and held their first bargaining meeting in July. But Stevens said the county’s first proposal didn’t arrive until after the contract expired.
Stevens said the union’s top issue is not just pay — it’s time.
The union is seeking a reduced work schedule, arguing it is a health-and-safety issue for firefighters and paramedics who work long shifts.
Stevens said the union has backed away from its initial request for a 42-hour work week and is now asking for a phased-in option known as a “three-week Kelly Day,” which the union says would put the department on a path toward the state-recommended standard for firefighter work hours.
“The big holdup is the implementation timeframe,” Stevens told News4JAX, saying the union wants the phased-in schedule change implemented within a year of a new contract being signed.
Stevens also said firefighters have not received the same raises as other county employees while they’ve been operating under an expired agreement, and he described morale as suffering as the negotiations stretch on.
In a recent survey of union members, Stevens said, 97% rejected the county’s latest proposal, calling it insufficient and saying it did not address the union’s primary concerns.
The union is also pointing to what it describes as a broader shift across Florida toward reduced-hour schedules, arguing St. Johns County risks falling behind neighboring departments and losing experienced firefighters to agencies with more competitive schedules and compensation.
According to Stevens, both sides have an operations workshop scheduled for May 28 to discuss what implementing the reduced schedule would look like.
If negotiations still don’t produce a deal, the process can move deeper into the impasse track, Stevens said — with a special magistrate hearing both sides and making a recommendation. If that still doesn’t lead to an agreement, the dispute could ultimately go before the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners in a public hearing.
Stevens emphasized firefighters are still on the job and will continue answering 911 calls as talks continue.
News4JAX has requested comment from St. Johns County. County officials have previously said they cannot discuss details while negotiations are ongoing.