© Town of East Haven East Haven Fire Department Chief Matthew Marcarelli, East Haven Mayor Joseph A. Carfora, Battalion Chief Chris Guilfoil, Union President and Jonathan Mustacchi, Local 1205 Treasurer.
EAST HAVEN, CT —”Christmas came early for East Haven firefighters,” who signed a new labor contract with Mayor Joseph A. Carfora, the town and Fire Chief Matt Marcarelli.
The agreement represents a “collaborative effort by the town and the union and was agreed upon with no acrimony,” Carfora said.
“This administration has been supportive of public safety since we were elected to lead this town, and we will continue to support public safety personnel,” Carfora said. “Firefighters were essential during the pandemic and save countless lives every day in this town. We continually ask the firefighters to do more, especially with the decrease in volunteerism which is a nationwide problem and East Haven is no exception.”
Marcarelli said the “contract was about recruitment and retention.”
“We hire paramedics who are a valuable commodity and we want them to be long term employees,” Marcarelli said. “Work rules, wages, and benefits were all key to ensuring we are able to recruit and retain the best people in the business.”
The deal was blessed by East Haven Firefighters Local 1205. Union President Christopher Guilfoil “praised” Marcarelli and Carfora.
“This is a fair contract for all involved. The department has come a long way in recent years with a much-needed staffing increase, new equipment, protective clothing and taking advantage of every grant available to ensure the safety of firefighters and the townspeople alike,” Guilfoil said. “Staffing has always been our priority and we will continue to work with the town on increasing it.”
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