Kansas City, Mo. ? Fire officials scrambled to fill positions after nearly 100 firefighters called in sick on Memorial Day to protest stalled contract negotiations.

Because it was a holiday, the 109 replacements were paid double overtime at a cost of between $60,000 and $100,000, Deputy Fire Chief John Germann, the shift commander, said Monday.

But Collins would not say whether the firefighters who called in sick would be disciplined. He cited the confidentiality of personnel matters.

Negotiations between the city and Local 42 of the International Association of Fire Fighters began about eight months ago.

The law prohibits firefighters from striking. And officials said a sickout has not been conducted in years.

Battalion chiefs in the city’s seven fire districts started calling Germann early Monday as 98 firefighters began calling in sick before their 24-hour shifts began at 7 a.m.

Firefighters usually are on duty for 24 hours and off for 48.

A minimum of 194 firefighters are needed per shift, Germann said.

Firefighters on the Sunday shift stayed a few hours late to ensure fire protection. Those firefighters also will receive overtime pay. All spots were filled by 8:30 a.m., Germann said.

The city has offered 2 percent bonuses to union members who were already at the top of their pay scale and who were not slated to get any salary increase under the previous offer.

The city estimated the cost would be about $322,000.

Firefighter union and city negotiations were scheduled to meet again Tuesday.