I am very pleased that the City of Burlington and the Burlington Professional Firefighters Association have been able to reach a five-year agreement that is fair to all parties and our taxpayers. This is the first time in 20 years that there has been unanimous support from the Council and, for the first time recently, there has been a negotiated settlement in good faith with respect to a costly, time-consuming and lengthy arbitration process. Each side gave a little to find an agreement. It`s well done for everyone involved. Under this collective agreement, 197 Burlington Fire Department employees are represented by IAFF 1552. The last agreement expired on 31 December 2017 and this new five-year agreement will enter into force from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2022. Burlington, Ont. On July 16, 2019, the City of Burlington and Burlington Professional Firefighters Association signed a five-year contract with the City of Burlington and Burlington Professional Firefighters Association on Monday, July 15, 2019. The freely negotiated agreement provides for an average monetary increase of 1.75% per year over a five-year period and provides for performance improvements equivalent to those of comparable municipalities. Some negotiated benefits and wage savings are included in the agreement to offset the cost of performance improvement. “We are very pleased to have been able to freely negotiate the contract without resorting to the arbitration system. The discussions were professional, respectful and in-depth, reflecting the positive working relationships that exist within the department.
It is comparable to the settlements in other communities, so I think the agreement is fair and reasonable for both firefighters and taxpayers. With the contract running until 31 December 2022, it also gives us budgetary security thanks to the mandate of this Council. – David Lazenby, Burlington Fire Chief The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 1.9% in Ontario in April 2019, resulting in a lower CPI increase. In addition, employees can purchase life insurance and optional benefits in the event of accidental death and dismemberment by deduction of their salary. Please refer to the press release below from the City of Burlington.
