This month, Mayor Nutter proposed rolling fire company closures as part of his plan to balance the 2010-11 budget.
The court's ruling will not have an effect on that plan, said Maura Kennedy, a spokeswoman. She declined to comment on whether there would be any effect on the anticipated contract.
Bill Gault, president of Local 22 of the International Association of Fire Fighters, said he would need the weekend "to digest" the Supreme Court's ruling.
"From what I'm seeing, the city's able to do what it wants," he said.
Gault also complained generally about chronic staffing shortages, especially among paramedics, and the possibility of the city's closing fire companies without studying the impact.
Gault said he expected the arbitration panel to award the firefighters their next contract in mid-August. The union asked for a five-year deal; the city proposed a three-year pact.
In the 2006 contract, the union won the right to be consulted on the consequences of any fire company closings. The union could negotiate its position and, ultimately, take disagreements to arbitration.
The union also won hiring and staffing provisions designed to "alleviate the high levels of stress, burnout, and attrition" among paramedics.
The city appealed those three provisions, winning reversals in Commonwealth Court. The union appealed to the Supreme Court, which again sided with the city, despite two other justices' writing opinions that disagreed in part with Castille's opinion.
Contact staff writer Troy Graham at 215-854-2730 or tgraham@phillynews.com.
