Member FAQs

What does the union do for me? Why should I be a part of the union?

As individuals, no one employee has enough power to effectively advocate for themselves in regards to improving their pay, benefits and/or working conditions, leaving each of us at the behest of our employer. 

But as a collective, we are able to not only advocate for our interests, but also negotiate with the City directly in the hopes of improving our work-life balance. That’s what a Union is - it’s a collection of us, as a workforce, banding together to try to make each of our respective lives better.

There is a long history of what union’s have been able to accomplish here in the U.S.  Minimum wage laws, child labor laws, laws related to shorter work days and work weeks (such as the FLSA), safer working conditions, retirement benefits, health care benefits, and worker’s compensation laws were ALL initially won by unions.  None of these improvements were given to working people, they were fought for, and won, by unions.

That’s why being a member of the union, and paying union dues, is an investment in your own well-being. It can pay off in the form of better contracts, better pay, better working conditions, and better benefits. In fact, the wage gap between unionized workers and non-unionized workers is approximately 20% on average, nationwide.

In that light, we as a union have many recent victories ourselves. In 2022, our local negotiated our first CBA in over 45 years, winning significant advances on many of the issues that impacted our members, including: 

• Salary increases over the next three years at the following rates:

• FF1, FF2, FF3, FF4, FF LT (VRS) - Increases between 29.90% -38.00% depending on years of service

• FF LT(F&P), EMS LT, FF CPT, EMS CPT - Increases between 34.90% - 38.5% depending on years of service

• Medic 4, DFM1, DFM2, DFM3- Increases between 13.40%- 24.50% depending on years of service & potential additional market rate adjustments

• Reduction in Pay Scale Steps by the end of the contract

• Reduction in Hours Worked per week from 56 to 50 by the end of the contract 

• Full Weingarten rights for members facing potential discipline or investigations

• A written Equal Opportunity Employment policy

• The use of neutral arbitrators to rule on grievances and contract disputes

• Shorts are permitted during warm weather months

• A Labor Management Partnership Committee that will continue to negotiate departmental policy changes prior to their implementation

• More rights and protections for members regarding overtime and involuntary holdovers

• Written, contractual processes for the selections of Acting Officers, Promotions, Annual Leave picks,

• A requirement for the AFD to annually updated & share the COOP with all members

• Monthly State of the Department emails to all members which outline current open positions within the department, potential upcoming training or educational opportunities, promotional opportunities and exam dates, acting officer opportunities, and a full organizational chart of the Department.

• Prohibition on requiring members to perform yard work or other such tasks that are not part of our job descriptions. 

None of these things happen without our union. How do we know this? Because the City had 40+ years to give us these increases, but never did. If they wanted to, they would have given us these benefits prior to our union having the right to negotiate for them. It took us, the workforce, working together, to make these things happen. 

If you believe that these improvements have made your life better, then we strongly suggest that you become a member for yourself. It’s the dues of our membership that allow us to win the improvements we as a workforce want to see.