Southtowns Record

City Council minutes — June 22, 2026

Government
City of Lackawanna
Board
City Council
Meeting
Jun 22, 2026
Kind
Minutes
Topics
Budget and taxes, Audits and oversight, Public safety, Parks and recreation

Original document

Same meeting

Text · page 2 of 7

Dear Council President Marrano and the Honorable City Council:

  I am requesting that the attached proposed Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) between
the City of Lackawanna (the “City”) and the Lackawanna Professional Firefighter’s Association (the
“Union”) be placed on the agenda for City Council approval on June 22, 2026 authorizing the Mayor to
sign same.
  The MOU relates to Bereavement Leave provided to our firefighters in the applicable collective
bargaining agreement. The MOU contemplates a change from allowing our firefighters bereavement
leave from the time of the notification of the death of a family member to the day after the funeral to a
period of up to 48 consecutive hours. The rationale behind the change is that in current times, not every
family participates in a Christian burial service.
  The MOU provides that a firefighter will need to provide documentation verifying the death of
the family member.
  I have been advised by the Union President, Captain Shad Garner, that the Union body has voted
to approve the incorporation of the MOU in the collective bargaining agreement.
  Thank you for your consideration of this request.

ARIANNA KWIATKOWSKI, CITY ATTORNEY

  MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

  By and between

  The City of Lackawanna
  And
  THE LACKAWANNA PROFESSIONAL
  FIRE FIGHTER’S ASSOCIATION
  LOCAL 3166, I.A.F.F., AFL-CIO

1.  WHEREAS, due to changing norms in society, it is becoming more frequent that funeral or
  memorial services occur weeks/months after a death, or not at all;

2.  WHEREAS, the parties are desirous of maintaining greater consistency when it comes to utilizing
  bereavement leave under the parties’ collective bargaining agreement;

3.  NOW THEREFORE, the parties agree to amend the language for Article XII entitled Bereavement
  in parties’ collective bargaining agreement as follows:

4.  Article XII entitled Bereavement in the Collective Bargaining Agreement shall be amended to
  read:

5.  Section 1. An employee who has a death in the immediate family (parent, spouse, child,
  grandchild, brother, sister, grandparent, mother-in-law, father-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-
  law, step-parents and step-children) shall be entitled to time off from the time of notification of
  death up to and not to exceed 48 consecutive hours.