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After 326 days without a contract and months of contentious negotiations, the Redwood City firefighters have come to an agreement with the city.
“These last few years, we’ve been forced to persevere through some of the most unprecedented and radical times,” Redwood City Firefighters Association (RCFFA) president Michael Elhihi said, addressing the council during public comment. “Although these have been difficult times, I’m optimistic of our future. And I'm confident that these hard times will create better people and stronger relationships moving forward.”
Following a presentation to the council during which Redwood City Human Resources Director Michelle Katsuyoshi outlined the terms of the new contract, council members voted unanimously to approve the new agreement.
The contract gives members a 7% raise over two years and maintains most of the union’s existing benefits, including compensatory time off and vacation leave.
The union has also agreed to immediately give back 1.07% of their salary to cover a two-tiered industrial disability retirement (IDR) benefits package. While current members will have lifetime family coverage, firefighters hired after May 9 will only be covered for four years, with additional funds from a retired health savings account which the city has agreed to contribute to monthly.
“I'm feeling good about it,” City Manager Melissa Stevenson Diaz told the Pulse before the vote. “It took longer than we would have hoped…But I feel at the end of the day, it's bringing our employees to market rate compensation. And that's important to us. And to them.”
Union Vice President and lead negotiator Jason Fox told the Pulse in a text that he was frustrated by how long it took to reach an agreement on a contract that was only marginally different from their old one.
Ultimately, however, he said he was “happy and relieved it’s finally over."
