BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The Bloomfield Township Council unanimously approved Monday evening, May 21, an agreement with FMBA Local 19, the union representing the majority of Bloomfield Fire Department personnel. The agreement will prevent a lawsuit by the local against the township.
According to Township Attorney Michael Parlavecchio in an email, the agreement “will finally and completely resolve all disputes among the parties with respect to Compulsory Interest Arbitration.”
The lawsuit stemmed from a letter to the township by an attorney for the union which complained of poor working conditions because of alleged actions by Deputy Fire Chief Louis Venezia. A subsequent investigation found many of the allegations unsubstantiated. Louis Venezia is the brother of Mayor Michael Venezia.
Local 19 had been working for several years without a contract. After making its complaint, the union was notified by the township that it would file for compulsory interest arbitration to resolve the contract dispute. The union then filed a whistle-blower’s lawsuit against the township in January of this year alleging filing for arbitration was a retaliatory act for complaints against Deputy Chief Venezia. A co-plaintiff was the Local 19 president, Gino Cantelme. The contract dispute was settled before coming before an arbitrator.
Parlavecchio said the agreement by the council “is not to be construed as an admission of any allegation or of any liability by the township.”
In a telephone interview earlier this week, Canteme said what is past is past.
“”We’re trying to build bridges and go forward,” he said. “We’re hoping the township will do the same thing. Everybody was in a bad place. We’re trying to make the Bloomfield Fire Department great again.”
Local 19 represents 51 of the 78 fire-fighting employees in the department, all under the rank of lieutenant. Lieutenants and captains are represented by Local 219.
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