PORT ANGELES — City firefighters are receiving a 2.5 percent cost of living raise this month as part of a new contract that the City Council approved last week.
The raises for 24 International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Local 656 workers are the same that were previously granted to other union employees and non-represented managers.
IAFF represents six firefighter/emergency medical technicians, 12 firefighter/paramedics, three paramedic lieutenants and three fire captains.
The cost of living adjustments are retroactive to last Jan. 1.
The IAFF-represented employees also will receive a 1 percent market adjustment and 1 percent to 3 percent raises in January 2020 and 2021, Human Resources Manager Abbi Fountain said in a memo to the council.
Council members voted unanimously to approve the new contract July 16.
On May 21, the city settled a union negotiation with the Teamsters Sworn Officers and Teamsters Communication and Support units and approved the 2.5 percent COLAs.
The council approved a 2.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment for managers and other non-represented workers July 2.
At that meeting, city manager Nathan West said the city was still negotiating with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) unions.
The city has about 250 employees.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsula dailynews.com.
