By Emily Holshouser
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
FORT WORTH, Texas — The city of Fort Worth reached a $54 million contract agreement on Tuesday, Sept. 29, with the union representing firefighters.
The deal had been ratified with the Fort Worth Professional Firefighters Association on Sept. 23 after a months-long bargaining process. The City Council voted 10-0, with council member Jeanette Martinez marked absent, to approve the deal.
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The union declared an impasse with the city of Fort Worth in July over “critical safety issues” and a failure to negotiate in good faith.”
The contract includes 5% across-the-board wage increases, with market adjustments for positions whose pay was below market values, as well as staffing relief personnel.
The contract will last four years and is estimated to cost $54 million, according to a city analysis.
“I’m proud of the incredibly hard work that city leadership and the 440 have put into this collective bargaining agreement, prioritizing our firefighters and EMS personnel to ensure we remain one of the safest large cities in the nation,” Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said in a written statement.
In a written statement, union president Zac Shaffer expressed support for the new contract.
“Throughout negotiations, both sides of the table worked tirelessly to deliver a solution that allowed us to continue providing excellent fire and EMS service while also being fair to the city and valuing employees,” Shaffer wrote. “The 440 is proud of this contract.”
The contract was ratified with a 97% to 3% vote. It will expire in September 2030.
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