Back paychecks totaling $185 million could soon be in the mail to Chicago’s 4,800 firefighters and paramedics who have been waiting four years for a new contract — and the pay raise the comes with it.
The City Council’s Committee on Workforce Development took the first step Tuesday by approving a new six-year contract that includes none of the cost-cutting concessions that Mayor Brandon Johnson and his two predecessors talked about but never really pursued.
Close to 80% of the rank-and-file participated in the union’s ratification vote, and 73% of them voted in favor of the agreement.
“It’s been too long. It’s been over four years. By the time this thing takes effect, it’ll be 4½ years,” Pat Cleary, president of Chicago Fire Fighters Union Local 2, told committee members before the unanimous voice vote. “It’s a fair contract. We fought hard with the city. The city fought hard with us. And we came to an agreement. The job is done. I’m asking you to conclude this battle.”
Deputy Corporation Counsel Cicely Porter-Adams, the city’s chief in-house labor negotiator, called the agreement the “best deal possible for the city of Chicago and the employees covered.”
Porter-Adams then outlined terms of the deal hammered out under pressure from a mediator.
It includes pay raises of up to 20% depending on the rate of inflation, and a $2,500 cash bonus to match the increases awarded to rank-and-file Chicago police officers.
Merit promotions that account for up to 16% of all promotions would be eliminated. From now on, vacancies “shall be filled in order of rank on eligibility lists,” the proposed agreement states.
Promotional exams would now be required every four years with a mandate that the city provide copies of answer sheets to test takers after written exams “upon departure from test sites.”
Paid parental leave of up to 12 weeks would be provided for all firefighters and paramedics, whether they are the “birthing or non-birthing parent.”
Health care contributions would be frozen until January 2027, when union members whose annual salaries exceed $115,000 would contribute the same percentage of their income — between 1% and 2% — but on up to $130,000 of annual income.
Juneteenth would become a 14th paid holiday. The contract would eliminate all references to affirmative action and what’s known as Appendix “G” that established as a goal the hiring of 45% minorities and women at all ranks. Instead, the new contract refers to “equity” and commits the Chicago Fire Department to “actively advertise for recruits in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.” The overriding goal is “elimination of obstacles unrelated to the job that hinder inclusion of communities historically under-represented” in the fire department.
The contract requires full payment of retroactive pay within six weeks of “final determination of final amount owed by” the city.
Ald. Mike Rodriguez (22nd), chair of the Workforce Development Committee, said the full tab for retroactive pay is $185 million. The money is “baked into” the $1.15 billion shortfall and will be “paid sometime in 2026,” he said.
The full City Council is expected to vote on a final sign-off for the contract this month.