By Leila Merrill
BRAINERD, Minn. — The city of Brainerd will pay five former full-time Brainerd firefighters $3.9 million, according to a settlement agreement.
The city council approved the agreement with the Firefighters Union Local No. 4725 on Aug. 15, Inforum reported.
The council dissolved the union in 2015. It also restructured the department, and the five firefighters lost their jobs.
In 2019, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that those city actions violated state labor laws.
“It’s been a long, hard-fought case over nearly seven years, and we are pleased that we finally reached a favorable resolution,” said Marshall Tanick, a Twin Cities attorney representing the firefighters’ union.