ANAHEIM

The lawyer representing the Anaheim Firefighters Assn. in contract negotiations said Tuesday that the bulk of issues put before an arbitration panel deciding the new contract’s conditions are either monetary or related to safety.

For almost four years, the city and firefighters have haggled unsuccessfully over the conditions of the contract. Binding arbitration allows a neutral, third party to make a decision based on evidence presented by both sides.

Firefighters say that they want a salary equivalent to that received by other firefighters in Orange County and similar districts in Southern California. The city maintains that it cannot afford to pay the salaries and benefits demanded by the union.