Excerpts from wttw.com:
Aldermen advanced an agreement Thursday that would give Chicago firefighters $95 million in back pay, but puts off fraught negotiations over how fire stations should be staffed.
Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2 ratified the tentative agreement with 76% of the vote, chief labor attorney for the city James Franczek told members of the City Council’s Workforce Development Committee, which unanimously endorsed the deal. The full city council is set to vote on the deal Wednesday.
The deal is retroactive to July 1, 2017, when the last labor agreement between the city and the firefighters union expired, and will last until June 30, 2021. The deal calls for firefighters to get a 10% raise during the term of the agreement, in keeping with pay hikes won by other unions that represent city workers.
In return for annual pay hikes ranging from 2% to 2.25% through Jan. 1, 2022, both retired and active duty firefighters will contribute more toward their health care coverage, saving the city $10 million during the duration of the agreement. The deal also calls for the city to expand its fleet of ambulances from 75 to 80, additional protective gear for firefighters, and up to two additional days of vacation for firefighters with more than 25 years of service.
The deal does not change a rule that requires every piece of fire equipment to be staffed by at least five employees. The agreement calls for the current staffing requirements to stay in place until Jan. 1, 2022.
#1 by rich s. on September 6, 2020 - 4:13 PM
Jim, apples and oranges!! The population along with both the potential and real volume of runs that the city does is the factor for the Manning. NOT what a member does or doesn’t do on their off days, which by the way is none of the cities business. The city of Chicago currently runs 35 companies everyday on a variance which is usually 4 members on that company. The manning requirements are in place for good reason, this is the 3 largest fire department in the country and in a city with a population of just over 3 million the critical tasks that need to be completed on the fire ground or even an EMS run need the manning to be completed in a timely manner.
#2 by Tim on September 6, 2020 - 1:14 PM
Jim, that’s not true. They’re 4 man companies when the 2 guys from the ambo jump on. 🙂
#3 by Jim on September 6, 2020 - 11:57 AM
Reducing staffing shouldn’t be a problem. Plenty of city firefighters moonlighting in the suburbs on 2 and 3 person companies without a problem.
#4 by Chris S on September 6, 2020 - 11:21 AM
We already have 80 ambulances & there are many companies running w/ only 4 members, I thought that changed a while ago