By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- The Fort Worth, Texas, City Council voted 10-0 Sept. 29 to approve a four-year, $54 million contract with the Fort Worth Professional Firefighters Association.
- The Fort Worth Professional Firefighters Association ratified the deal Sept. 23 by a 97%-to-3% vote after months of bargaining.
- The union had declared an impasse with the city in July, citing “critical safety issues” and an alleged failure to negotiate in good faith.
- The contract includes 5% across-the-board wage increases, market adjustments for below-market positions, and additional staffing relief personnel.
- The agreement runs through September 2030.
FORT WORTH, Texas — The Fort Worth City Council voted 10-0 Tuesday to approve a four-year, $54 million contract with the union representing the city’s firefighters, following a bargaining dispute that reached an impasse earlier this year.
The Fort Worth Professional Firefighters Association ratified the agreement Sept. 23 after months of negotiations. The union had declared an impasse with the city in July over what it described as “critical safety issues” and a failure to negotiate in good faith.
The new contract includes 5% across-the-board wage increases, along with market adjustments for positions whose pay had fallen below comparable market rates, and additional staffing relief personnel. City officials estimate the four-year deal will cost $54 million.
“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 statement.
Union President Zac Shaffer said the agreement reflects a collaborative process. “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 said. “The 440 is proud of this contract.”
Union members ratified the contract by a 97%-to-3% vote. The agreement is set to expire in September 2030.