Negotiations Feedback – Where We Currently Stand

Brothers and Sisters,

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share their feedback so far. Your thoughtful and constructive input is exactly what we need to guide this process. As we near the end of today, I wanted to take a moment to review what we’ve learned from today’s feedback.

Based on what we’ve received, here is where we currently stand:

• Consensus Priorities: Reducing debit days, ensuring fair compensation for training, parity with the Battalion Chief contract (CPI/COLA and pensionable sell-back), and hazard/transport pay.
• Divisive Issues: Engineer/Driver positions. Some see this as an unnecessary restriction, while others support a Driver Operator role to close wage gaps, add accountability, and align with neighboring departments.
• Innovative Ideas: Deferred comp fitness bonus, trialing a 2/6 schedule, and using Juneteenth hours creatively (e.g., training allocation).

Overall, there is strong support for being #1 in comparables, consistent with the new Battalion Chief contract. Members have also emphasized that any proposals we take forward should be framed as mutually beneficial for both labor and administration.

If we were to receive no further feedback, these findings would guide the negotiation team’s priorities moving forward. That said, we still want to hear from as many of you as possible—now is the time to shape the direction of your contract.