Oakland, CA – In a unanimous vote tonight, the Oakland City Council approved an extension of the labor contract with the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF), Local 55, 10 months before it was set to expire on October 31, 2020. The term of the new contract will cover November 1, 2020 through December 31, 2023.
Negotiated in partnership between City Administration and Local 55 leadership, the new, 38-month agreement provides for 3% annual wage increases over three years, consistent with the labor agreements reached last fall with the City’s civilian unions, as follows:
- 2.5% effective January 2021 (within the Fiscal Year 2019-2021 budget)
- 1.5% effective July 2021
- 2% effective January 2022
- 1% effective July 2022
- 2% effective December 2023
Local 55 has also stepped up to assist the City in addressing its growing and unfunded long-term liabilities associated with providing health care to employees after they retire. Last year, Local 55 joined the Oakland Police Officers Association (OPOA) in agreeing to cap the amount the City contributes for retiree health benefits for active employees and current retirees, consistent with the City’s civilian employees. In this contract, Local 55 is the first employee union in the City to agree to contribute to employee health care costs.
The contract also continues a minimum staffing agreement through 2037, with an opportunity for the City to temporarily suspend the requirement in the event of a severe financial crisis.
“I am grateful for the partnership with Local 55 in reaching an agreement well before the current one expires that will provide our hardworking firefighters with fair wage increases and more certainty over the 38-month contract period, and I appreciate that we came together to tackle Oakland’s long-term financial challenges,” said City Administrator Sabrina Landreth. “This is true partnership, and true leadership.”
All of the City’s labor contracts—with public safety and civilian employee unions—are now closed.
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