HOUSTON – Houston firefighters supported a proposed settlement to end an eight-year contract dispute with the City of Houston.
During a 48-hour voting period over the weekend, the agreement won an unprecedented 94% approval rating. A judge will receive the paperwork Monday.
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The agreement will provide $650 million in lump sum payments to cover the money firefighters earned during the eight years they were not under contract and will also include a new five-year deal. The lump sum is available to active or retired firefighters, as well as the families of firefighters who have died in the line of duty since 2017. Firefighters who left the field for medical reasons are also eligible.
Along with this lump sum, the deal makes the temporary 18% pay hikes for firefighters three years ago into permanent raises. It adds another 10% increase on July 1, 2024, along with additional pay spikes through 2029. The new deal will also maintain existing benefits along with new incentives, assignment bonuses, increased uniform allowances and holiday pay.
Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association President Patrick M. “Marty”” Lancton said the settlement signifies the city’s goal of incentivizing people to pursue the dangerous—but important—profession.
“This contract is designed to facilitate staff recruitment and retention” Lancton said. “We lost 500 firefighters over the last eight years. It’s time to make the Houston Fire Department an attractive place to work again.”
Lancton also made sure to give credit to Houston mayor John Whitmire for his role in getting the deal in place.
“We owe a debt of gratitude to Mayor John Whitmire,” Lancton said. “Thanks to his leadership, we can put the last eight years behind us and move forward together.”