- The city and fire union spent more than five hours defending their stance in negotiations for a higher wage for fire employees Wednesday.
- A special magistrate is hearing from the city and fire union.
- Watch the video above to see what's next in the process.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
After one year of back and forth, a special magistrate is hearing from the city and fire union over higher pay for firefighters. I’m Kendall Brandt your neighborhood reporter in Northeast Tallahassee. The city and fire union spent more than five hours defending their stance in negotiations for a higher wage for fire employees.
Tallahassee Professional Firefighters Union President, Joey Davis, says he is confident they made a good case for better pay for fire workers. “I feel it was clear the difference in how we are treated and the difference we're paid versus other departments."
Davis and the lawyer for the union made their plea to a special magistrate Wednesday. The Tallahassee Professional Firefighters have been negotiating with the city for one year for higher pay.
WATCH OUR REPORT ON THIS ISSUE FROM MAY OF 2023:
The city's most recent offer includes:
- Over $1,700 raise for starting fire fighters
- An $800 raise for engineers
- No pay bump for ranks such as lieutenants
- Pension contribution is being cut
- Each employee will get a bonus of at least $500
All city employees, including police officers, were given a raise last year.
Davis told the magistrate all of their employees deserve a raise further than what's being offered, noting their department is one of the lowest paid in the state, falling below Gainesville and Gadsden County.
“There are multiple areas in which our firefighters are behind other departments and departments here in the city," Davis said. "That's not just starting pay, but the ability to pay a competitive wage up through our ranks."
The city made their case as well, saying the union's ask goes beyond the money collected by the fire services fee, a tax every property owner pays.
WATCH OUR UPDATE REPORT ON THE SITUATION FROM JANUARY OF 2024 BELOW:
Director of resource management Robert Widen says their offer is, “in excess of the budget."
City staffers also argue the fire union isn’t taking into account the extra take home pay that will come from the pension contribution reduction.
Michael Mattimore, the lawyer negotiating on behalf of the city told me it will bring them more money. "It directly increases take home pay, so it's a compensation increase."
Davis says the current pay and the city’s offer are driving away first responders.
I checked with the city.
Fourteen firefighters have resigned since the beginning of negotiations in March of 2023, but the city says this is all they can offer.
“It's a fair offer and I think it would be a good resolution of these negotiations," Mattimore said.
And Davis says he trusts the process from here. "I don't think there should be much question left after the hearing."
The magistrate told me it could take him up to two months to make a recommendation. The city and union can then either agree to accept that suggestion or take the contract to the city commission for a final vote.
