From the Riverside-Brookfiled Landmark:
It took almost a year for Brookfield police and the village to negotiate a new contract after their previous agreement expired at the end of 2012, but reaching an agreement with the firefighters was much smoother. On December 9, village trustees unanimously approved a three-year deal, just three weeks before the current contract was set to expire.
Village Manager Riccardo Ginex noted, “The relationship between both parties has been very professional. It’s quite different from what it used to be.†He was referring to a time not too long ago when firefighters reluctantly accepted a one-year pay freeze in 2010 to avoid layoffs. That deal led to tension and eventually resulted in the firefighters switching union representation from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF).
In 2011, the two sides reached a three-year agreement that restored pay increases, though it also required firefighters to contribute more toward their health insurance premiums.
The latest contract, which runs through December 31, 2016, keeps the health insurance contribution at 15 percent and includes base pay raises of 2.5%, 3%, and 2.5% over the three years. However, it also includes step raises for firefighters during their first six years on the job, which significantly boost their salaries beyond the base raise percentages.
For example, a firefighter starting in January 2014 would earn $56,054. With step raises included, that same firefighter would make $61,697 in 2015 — a 10% increase. By 2016, their salary would rise to $69,961, a 13.4% increase. By the end of the contract, a firefighter in their sixth year would earn $87,239. Compared to a starting salary of $54,526 in 2010, that’s a 60% total raise over six years.
After six years, firefighters no longer receive step raises, as outlined in the contract. They then only get the base pay increases each year.
A starting lieutenant as of January 1, 2014, will earn $90,058. Lieutenants are eligible for step raises in addition to base pay raises for the first two years in their rank. So a lieutenant who started in 2014 would earn $100,325 by January 1, 2016 — a 11.4% increase. After that, they only receive base pay raises.
One of the key changes in the contract, requested by the union, is a provision that prevents Brookfield firefighters from moonlighting as firefighters or paramedics when off-duty. The reason given is to prevent injuries that could occur while working elsewhere. Despite this, the village would still be responsible for covering disability benefits in such cases.
Ginex also mentioned that the IAFF hopes to see all fire departments in the state hire full-time firefighters rather than rely on paid-on-call personnel.
Thanks Dan
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