RELEASE: Mayor Rawlings-Blake and Baltimore Firefighter Unions Announce Landmark Contract

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Travis Tazelaar
443-842-2434
travis.tazelaar@baltimorecity.gov

Mayor Rawlings-Blake and Baltimore Firefighter Unions Announce Landmark Contract

The new contract will increase firefighter pay by 16.5%.

BALTIMORE, Md. (August 20, 2013)—Today, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced the agreement upon a contract between the City of Baltimore and the two unions representing employees of the Baltimore City Fire Department (BCFD), Baltimore Firefighters IAFF Local 734 and the Baltimore Fire Officers Association IAFF Local 964. The contract, which was voted on and approved today by members of these unions, includes increased salaries, a modified shift structure, and guarantees no layoffs or demotions as a result of the contract.

“Baltimore’s firefighters are the best in America, and we are all deeply grateful for their hard work and bravery.” Mayor Rawlings-Blake said. “This new contract—with a new schedule and significantly increased pay—will allow our fire department to maintain its high standard of emergency services for our city. I am appreciative that the members of the department acknowledge the importance of long-term fiscal stability for our city and have courageously voted to make changes that will benefit all.”

“I want to thank the members for approving these contracts,” said Acting Fire Chief Jeffrey R. Segal, “These changes will save the city millions of dollars and prevent possible layoffs. The contract is the result of good-faith negotiations between city officials, fire department management, and union leadership. Their partnership ensures that we can move forward and make Baltimore a safer city.”

Under the new three-year contract, BCFD employees will receive a 2% pay raise for FY13, retroactive to July 1, 2013. On January 1, 2014, fire suppression personnel will receive an additional 14.5% raise and EMS and other BCFD personnel will receive a 4% raise. Additionally, longevity raises at 20 and 25 years will be increased to 5% from the current 4% raise.

The contract also outlines a new shift structure for fire suppression personnel (other employees will see no change), more in-line with practices found in other major U.S. cities. The modified structure, which begins January 1, 2014, calls for a 12.5% increase in hours worked.

Under the new schedule, fire suppression personnel will be on-duty for 24 hours, off-duty for the next 24 hours, and on-duty for the subsequent 24 hours. Following these two shifts, employees will remain off duty for five days. To round out the schedule, every 32 days, an extra 24-hour shift (called an impact day) will be scheduled during the middle of the 5-day downtime. This scheduling model requires only 103 scheduled appearances yearly—79 fewer than the current schedule—and increases the average hours worked per week to 47 from 42 hours under the current schedule.

"I am glad the city and Local 734 were committed to remaining at the bargaining table to avoid the uncertainty of arbitration,” said Rick Hoffman, president of Firefighters Union IAFF Local 734. “Tonight, the membership voted to support Mayor Rawlings-Blake’s effort to grow Baltimore by agreeing to work more hours for more pay.”

"I greatly appreciate the collaboration between Mayor Rawlings-Blake’s administration and the fire officers,” said Michael Campbell, president of Baltimore Fire Officers Association IAFF Local 964. “The officers in suppression are finally getting the raise they deserve. It has been a long time coming.”

The new contract aligns closely with Mayor Rawlings-Blake’s ten-year financial plan for Baltimore City, Change to Grow, which calls for a bold set of major reforms to confront a $750 million structural deficit and to grow the city.

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