The City of Flin Flon is rewarding firefighters for their dangerous work.
City council has approved a new three-year contract that will see firefighters’ hourly wages rise eight per cent over the life of the deal.
“The negotiations we had went really well,” said Coun. Ken Pawlachuk as he announced the agreement at last week’s council meeting. “They’re a pretty satisfied group of guys.”
As of Jan. 31, 2014, firefighters were earning $23.64 an hour for fire calls. Under the new deal, that increases to $24.12 an hour as of Feb. 1, 2014, $24.85 as of Feb. 1, 2015 and $25.60 as of Feb. 1, 2016.
Pawlachuk said firefighters get the same percentage raises as regular city employees.
Practice rate
Firefighters are also paid a flat rate for attending practices. This rate goes from $22.31 as of Jan. 31, 2014 to $24.16
in the final year of the agreement.
In addition to those rates, the captain is paid for eight extra hours per month and an added $4 an hour for time spent on-call in the fire chief’s absence.
The lieutenant will be paid for an extra four hours a month plus $4 an hour for time on-call in the chief’s absence.
The contract does not cover the fire chief, who is a full-time municipal employee.
The agreement requires the city to set aside $2,000 for each year of the contract for the purchase of station wear, such as jackets.
The deal expires on Feb. 1, 2017. At any point after Feb. 1, 2016, firefighters reserve the right to review or suggest amendments.
Any provisions may be reviewed or amended with the consent of both firefighters and the city.
The city has given the fire department a total budget of $428,955 in 2014, a $20,140 boost over what was spent in 2013.
In 2013, the department came in $7,466 under budget.
The firefighters are represented by the Flin Flon Firefighters Association. Creighton and Denare Beach maintain their own fire departments.
