The Bartlesville City Council is expected to enter into executive sessions Monday to discuss and possibly settle a pay dispute between Bartlesville firefighters and police officers after the firefighters union filed a federal lawsuit against the city for back pay.

 

 The lawsuit was filed last Tuesday, Oct. 29, in Tulsa federal court by attorneys representing 75 current and former Bartlesville firefighters, who allege the city failed to appropriately calculate overtime pay in line with the Fair Labor Standards Act.

 

If the City Council agrees to the terms of the settlement following the executive session, the firefighters and their attorneys would be offered more than $116,000total — of which more than $63,000 in back pay would distributed among the 75 firefighters and $60,000 to the attorneys. It is unclear whether or not the offer would be accepted by the firefighters union to settle the lawsuit.

 

A separate settlement of more than $6,500 would be offered to members of the Fraternal Order of Police, if the City Council agrees following another executive session.