City Commissioners unanimously approved the new labor agreement with International Association of Fire Fighters Local 8 during their Nov. 7 meeting.

The union includes 63 sworn employees at Great Falls Fire Rescue.

The new agreement runs from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2025.

The new agreement increased firefighter base wages with:

• a one percent market adjustment and five percent cost of living increase effective July 1, 2023
• a five percent cost of living increase effective July 1, 2024
• a one percent cost of living increase effective Jan. 1, 2025

Under the new agreement, call back and court appearances increases from a minimum guarantee of two hours to three hours to be paid and one and a half times their regular hourly rate of pay.

City considers change to labor agreement to address paramedic shortage [2018]

The new agreement also increases firefighters annual uniform allowance reimbursement from $650 per year to $850 annually the first two years and $650 per year thereafter, according to the staff report.

Longevity pay will increase from $7.16 to $7.27 per pay period to be added to the base pay each of 26 pay periods, under the new agreement.

The rank differential for a captain increases from 1.34 to 1.35 percent and for battalion chiefs, increases from 1.53 to 1.56 percent of firefighter pay, under the new agreement.

Car seat installation certification pay was added to the list of certifications for which holders receive 1.5 percent of firefighter base pay period.

The total estimated additional cost for the increases is $671,628 for the term of the agreement, according to city staff.

IAFF No. 8 voted to ratify the contract on Oct. 10.

Gaye McInerney, city human resources director, said that the city and IAFF No. 8 started negotiations in April and entered into mediation before reaching the agreement this fall. She said that the main discussion points of the negotiation were wages.