After talks break down, City of Lawrence and firefighters union cancel planned meetings until mediator takes over

Negotiations between the City of Lawrence and the local firefighters union have come to a halt until a mediator takes over the proceedings next week.

A local resolution governing contract negotiations states that the negotiations are automatically considered at an impasse if they aren’t concluded by July 1.

By the time the groups reached the impasse date, they were still far apart on agreeing to a new employment contract covering wages, benefits and working conditions for firefighters, fire engineers and fire lieutenants with Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical. The current contract expires at the end of this year.