Editor’s Note: The video above is from previous coverage on the Austin Firefighters Association reaching a contract agreement with the city of Austin.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin City Council will soon consider a tentative contract agreement that was reached between the city and the Austin Firefighters Association (AFA), according to a city of Austin memo.
That tentative agreement plan will be placed as an agenda item for the Nov. 20 city council meeting. The city said the AFA “plans to have its vote” before the council for consideration.
This comes after tense negotiations were had by the city and fire representatives after the current contract will expire this month.
The memo lays out a summary for the four-year agreement plan, which is broken down over each year and lays out what the chief of the AFA has the authority to do. Some of those tasks include controlling the hiring process, appointing all “Division Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs” and more.
“The AFA has opted to eliminate the sick leave buyback program to fund the additional full-time employees needed for the Austin Schedule to be implemented in October 2027,” the memo said.
The “Austin Schedule” is the implementation of a reduced work schedule, which will result in a 49.8-hour work week, according to AFA.
Over Year 1 and Year 2 of the plan, the city plans to hire 54 full time firefighter position that will be implemented into the “Austin Schedule.” Year 1 shows to hire 22 firefighters, and Year 2 shows to hire 32 firefighters, according to the memo.
A breakdown of the wages provided in the city memo can be seen below:
- Year 1 Pay Scale Adjustment and One-time Lump Sum Payment of $370
- Step 0 (entry-level probationary firefighter) – 6.21% increase
- Step 1 firefighter (1 year experience) – 5.55% increase
- Step 2 firefighter (2 years experience) – 5.06% increase
- All others – 3.96% increase
- Battalion Chief/Division Chief – 3% increase
- All rank differentials are 8%
- Year 2 across-the-board increase of 3.0%
- Year 3 across-the-board increase of 3.5%
- Year 4 across-the-board increase of 4%
Overall, the projected cost of the four-year agreement is $62.8 million, according to the city. Furthermore, the contract also includes “guardrail provision regarding funding and availability of funding.”
“I am pleased we have reached a tentative agreement that invests in our firefighters, ensuring not only pay increases, but also a work schedule that prioritizes firefighter wellness,” City Manager T.C. Broadnax said in a September release. “Ultimately, this tentative agreement makes all of us safer and is an important step in the right direction.”
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