Firefighters association receives retroactive 15.25-per-cent increase in pay, pension

An interest arbitration award was recently awarded to the Moose Jaw Firefighters Association, but it will likely return to the bargaining table soon since the award technically expired in 2018.

The City of Moose Jaw and the association were without a collective agreement since Dec. 31, 2014, and during collective bargaining, the parties reached an impasse and referred the matter to arbitration, according to a City of Moose Jaw news release.

Arbitration hearings were held in Moose Jaw from May 29 to 31, 2018, with Robson Garden chairing the meeting. On April 26, 2019, Garden awarded the firefighters association retroactive increases for the years to 2015 to 2018 totalling 14.75 per cent in wages and 0.5 per cent in pension contributions.

The allocations are as follows:

• Jan. 1, 2015: two per cent

• July 1, 2015: 1.75 per cent

• Jan. 1, 2016: two per cent

• July 1, 2016: 2.5 per cent

• Jan. 1, 2017: 2.5 per cent

• Jan. 1, 2018: three per cent

As Fire Chief Rod Montgomery told city council during its recent meeting, total retroactive back pay was $1,841,811.05, while pension retroactive back pay was $135,345.75. This means a first-class firefighter now makes $99,252, up from $85,764 five years ago. Included in the 15.25 per cent was a further imposed 1.5-per-cent “out of line” adjustment to wages and pension that took effect on April 26, 2019, said the news release. This would address the perceived disparity of the fire association in increases awarded following the 2014 interest arbitration.

The arbitration award is binding.

The municipality and the association signed the collective agreement on June 26. Since the award was effective through Dec. 31, 2018, the two sides are without a current contract and anticipate negotiations to begin later this year.