A new four-year contract with Jeannette’s three paid firefighters has been approved.
The contract, which expires Dec. 31, 2022, calls for an hourly pay increase of 50 cents for each year of the agreement.
Council approved the contract last week after the previous agreement expired at the end of 2018.
“It was a very fair negotiation between the firefighters and the city,” said Michelle Langdon, city clerk.
All new firefighters will be hired at an annual salary of $50,000. Newly-hired firefighters will be responsible for their health insurance after retirement. Firefighters hired under the old contract were included under the city’s health care policy for a period of time after retirement.
“I think negotiations went well,” said firefighter Joe Matijevic, union president. “We are all happy with it.”
Firefighters will pay more towards their health insurance under the new agreement — 15 percent compared to 10 percent previously. A police contract awarded in 2017 had a similar change.
The agreement is retroactive to Jan. 1.
