Fire department strikes contract deal

The city of Superior has reached a tentative agreement with its fire union.

Under the terms of the agreement recommended for council approval by the Human Resources Committee this week, firefighters will pay a larger share for health insurance and pensions — although not quite as large a share as counterparts working in other departments within the city.

Under Wisconsin Act 10, which stripped most public employees of most of their collective bargaining rights, police officers and firefighters were exempt from the new budget repair law passed last year. Public employees are required to pay 5.8 percent of their salary toward pension benefits through the Wisconsin retirement system.

Starting the day after the contract is approved by the council, firefighters in the union would begin paying 3 percent of their salaries toward pension benefits, with the city paying for the rest for the rest of the year. At the start of 2013, all employees of the city, including police officers, will pay 5.8 percent. Firefighters hired after July 1, 2011, would pay 5.8 percent too.

Some union firefighters would also see an increase in their share of health insurance costs, but still less than other public employees. While the city previously paid 95 percent of the health insurance costs for a single plan, the city’s share will drop to 90 percent, the share the city previously paid for family and employee plus one plans for officers hired since Feb. 1, 2004.

Unlike city contract agreements reached with public works and other non-public safety employees, however, firefighters will receive a bump in pay over the next two years.

Wages for union-represented firefighters will increase 3 percent when the council adopts the agreement, and another 2.9 percent starting Jan. 1.

The contract is similar to one approved by the Human Resources Committee last month with the police union. Both contracts go to the council for consideration Tuesday.

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