Crime & Safety

Firefighters Union Votes 36-1 No Confidence In Chief

This is just the latest move in a tumultuous time for the fire service, which became a town department less than two months ago.

East Greenwich firefighters union voted 36-1 no confidence in Fire Chief Peter Henrikson earlier this month, citing safety concerns and retaliation against firefighters who talked to the town manager about payroll problems.

The only member of the union to vote against the no-confidence vote was Henrikson’s wife, Kristin Henrikson, the department’s chief clerk.

Chief Henrikson could not be reached for comment.

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"It's been building up," said Bill Perry, president of EG Firefighters Association Local 3328. "We have no respect for him because he has no respect for us."

Perry said there have been issues over safety and pay concerns. In particular, he referred to one firefighter who wasn't paid for some overtime work. The issue was brought to former Town Manager Bill Sequino's attention and was resolved.

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Perry said the chief made an unsafe staffing decision in June when he had an injured firefighter in charge of a boat doing a search with a diver. The firefighter’s shoulder injury made it impossible for him to help the diver or anyone else if needed, Perry said. 

The East Greenwich Fire Department is, technically, a brand-new entity for the town. The 216-year-old EG Fire District was converted to town fire department in May, after residents voted 2-1 in November 2012 in favor of merging the separate district with the town and Gov. Chafee signed legislation making that a reality

Local 3328 sided with the town over the question of merging. Chief Henrikson did not take a public stand. Three out of the five fire district commissioners were against the merger.

The firefighters' contract expired June 30. Contract negotiations stalled in the face of the potential change from an independent fire district to a town fire department. The union said an impasse was reached in May, setting into motion binding arbitration with the EG Fire District. Now that the fire district no longer exists, the union and the town have entered into contract negotiations, with binding arbitration on the back burner again. Union and town officials have met once already, with their next negotiating session set for July 29.

Perry said the union's no-confidence vote also reflected low morale. In particular, he mentioned the chief’s failure to hold any promotion or recognition ceremonies in recent years. The ceremony held in June during a Town Council meeting was prompted by the council’s desire to formally recognize fire employees as town employees. During the ceremony, employees were recognized for promotions made more than two years ago, Perry said.

About the union’s no-confidence vote, Town Council President Michael Isaacs said, “I’d prefer not to comment without having more information about the matter.”

Complicating fire department relationships has been the lawsuit filed by Kristin Henrikson against the union, individual former EG Fire Commissioners, former Fire Chief John McKenna and the former Fire District itself, claiming job discrimination. In her lawsuit, Henrikson said that she was discriminated against when she was not offered a firefighter’s position in 2009. Chief Henrikson has declined to comment on the pending lawsuit.

Strictly speaking, the no-confidence vote has no immediate consequences. Perry said the union's hope, however, is clear.

"We are hoping for a change of chief from the no-confidence vote, amongst other reasons," he said. 


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