Tentative Contract Agreement

The UFA and the City, after an all-day negotiation session with the Office of Labor Relations today, came to a tentative agreement on our contract, summarized as follows:

• Length of contract: 24 months
• 4% Base salary increase retroactively effective 8/1/06
• 4% (compounded is 4.16%) base salary increase effective
• $1,000 annual Longevity increase for 5, 10, 15 and 20 year steps
• Chauffeur Differential increase to 3%
• 5 Rescues, 7 Squads, 4 Haztech Companies, Hazmat Battalion and Hazmat-1 will receive assignment differential of 12% of base salary
• $1,100 Fire Marshal Uniform Allowance annual increase
• Retiree Health benefits contributions by the City annual increase by $80 per member
• Line-of Duty Prescription Drug Card (no out-of-pocket expenses)
• Elimination of Extra-Departmental Employment filing requirements (except existing PA/ID 12 of 1967 provisions for volunteer FFs, conflict of interests, or while on medical leave or light duty)
• Contract re-opener language
• Increases New Hire Base Salary structure, resulting from adjustments to Night Shift Differential, Holiday and Annuity payments. Details and increased step charts to be published

The UFA Executive Board announced the details of the agreement at a press conference at City Hall on Friday, March 2, 2007. Complete copies of the Memorandum of Agreement and all attachments will be mailed to all Delegates and Firehouses on Monday.

The following meetings will take place in accordance with UFA Constitution requirements. The Battalion Delegates will meet on Thursday, March 8th at 10 am at the JFK Ramada to take a non-binding vote regarding the tentative agreement. The General Membership meeting will immediately follow at 11am. Details of the tentative contract will also be discussed with all Delegates at the constitutionally required Special Delegate Meeting to take place on Friday, March 16 at 10am at the JFK Ramada. The Delegates will conduct a roll call vote at the April 12th Union Meeting. If approved by the Delegates, ballots will be mailed to all members for a contract ratification vote.

Fraternally,
Stephen J. Cassidy

President
Joseph A. Miccio
Recording Secretary