JEFFERSON, La. -- As expected, the Jefferson Parish Council this morning put off discussion of the controversial issues surrounding the ongoing dispute between the parish and its firefighters.

Despite the prediction that the issue on Wednesday's council agenda would be deferred, a large contingent of Jefferson Parish firefighters turned out for the meeting at the Yenni Building in Elmwood.

A firefighters union official says the group has collected approximately 20,000 signatures on its petition seeking support for its cause.

The matter could come up again February 18, though both sides say negotiations continue behind the scenes.

"At this point I think things seem to be much better," said Bob Burkett, president of the Jefferson Fire Fighters Association.  "We have some grounds we agree with.  We're exchanging some proposals."

"There's been some ongoing discussions with the administration people as well as the union people and their attorneys in order to see if they could come to a resolution," said Mickey Landry, an attorney representing the parish in its ongoing legal and public relations battle with the Jefferson Parish Fire Fighters Association.

"We believe that we could reduce the overtime, add 20 to 40 new fire fighters, and still save over $2 million," said Landry.

The savings would be the result of a major schedule change for those working in the department.  The approximately 250 firefighters of the East Bank Consolidated Fire Department are guaranteed at least 17 hours of overtime every two weeks--paid out at time and a half, parish officials say that equates to about $3 million a year in spending.

But a proposal from the office of the Parish President puts those dollars on the chopping block. 

Currently, firefighters work one day on, one day off, and then after 9 days they receive six consecutive days off.  But the parish's new plan would give firefighters one day on, and then two days off.  Firefighters would also have one day a week where they could choose to be off.

"If they work the same hours and work the same amount of overtime they'll receive the exact same salary," said Landry.

The problem, say firefighters, is the new schedule makes it nearly impossible to land overtime.  Not to mention the fact, firefighters add, they'd be working seven less days a year.

"Every fireman on this job would be somewhere between a 27 and a 29 percent reduction in take home pay bi-weekly," said Bruce Saltalamachia, Captain with the East Bank Consolidated Fire Department.

But according to the parish, the average salary for the fire department is just under $70,000 a year, with 46 firefighters making six figures.  Union leaders say those numbers are grossly distorted.