On Thursday, the Austin City Council approved a four-year labor agreement with the Austin Firefighters Association, which had also voted overwhelmingly in favor the previous day. The contract addresses many concerns raised in the firefighters’ petition and preserves the city’s mandatory four-person staffing ordinance.
Agreement Details
The city will keep the mandatory four-person staffing ordinance in place through a mutual agreement with the AFA. In return, the union will not pursue its charter petition. Labor Relations Officer Roxana Stevens told KXAN: “After additional negotiation, the City agrees to maintain the mandatory four-person staffing ordinance through mutual agreement with the AFA. In exchange, the AFA agrees to no longer pursue its charter petition.”
Union Perspective
The agreement grants the city more flexibility than the SAFER AUSTIN petition when determining a severe financial crisis, potentially allowing the closure of neighborhood fire stations or apparatus. AFA President Chief Bob Nicks explained: “The proposed agreement does give the City more flexibility than the SAFER AUSTIN petition in determining when a ‘severe financial crisis’ has been reached-an assessment that could allow the City to shut down neighborhood fire stations and/or fire apparatus. While the AFA expects the City to act in good faith, we will closely monitor any decision to reduce fire resources for anything less than a TRUE severe financial crisis. Should such an action occur, we will promptly inform the public so that, together, we can rectify this through the political process.”
New Benefits
The contract includes annual pay raises for firefighters and introduces a new shift schedule-known as the “Austin schedule”-that gives firefighters more time off between shifts.
Key Takeaways
- The council and the AFA have agreed to a four-year contract that maintains mandatory four-person staffing.
- The union will drop its charter petition in exchange for the agreement.
- The deal adds yearly raises and a new shift schedule for firefighters.
The agreement, finalized on Thursday, marks a significant step toward addressing firefighter concerns while preserving essential staffing levels across Austin’s fire service.
