The Cochrane Fire Fighters Association and the town reached a new collective agreement for 2014-17 at council, following a two-year negotiation period.
“We are pleased that the town and the firefighters were able to negotiate a settlement that provides stability and predictability for both parties,” said Jared Wallace, president of the Cochrane Fire Fighters Association Local 4819.
Wallace noted the length in negotiations is “reflective of the industry,” as firefighters cannot strike or be locked out by employers as is sometimes the case for other public service workers.
The wage increases of 1.4 per cent for 2014; 1.9 per cent for 2015; 2.3 per cent for 2016; and 2.1 per cent for 2017 are average in comparison to other fire service wages across the province, according to Wallace.
The contract outlines retroactive payment from operating reserves and the 2016 fire operations budget, with the remaining amount to be accounted through the coming 2017 budget.
“We look forward to having continued positive discussions about how to support and improve the level of fire service in Cochrane,” said Wallace.
Cochrane Fire Services has 45 members, 18 are full-time.
The International Association of Fire Fighters formalized the agreement.
