City Council ratified a new memorandum of settlement Monday with local firefighters.
"Historically, negotiations between the city and SSMPFFA [Sault Ste. Marie Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 529] have proceeded to lengthy interest arbitration processes, with awards being finalized long after the end of the negotiated term," said Peter Niro, the city's director of human resources, in a report to Mayor Provenzano and ward councillors.
"We are pleased that our current negotiations process has resulted in a freely bargained agreement," Niro said.
"The city’s negotiating committee and SSMPFA met on several occasions aiming to negotiate a freely bargained agreement on a timeline that would maintain a 'current' settlement."
The new settlement covers a three-year term.
A two per cent wage adjustment will be retroactively effective Jan. 1, 2021.
Firefighters will get another one per cent raise effective Jan. 1, 2022, and an additional one per cent on July 1, 2022.
The increase effective January 1, 2023 wage adjustment will equal that of a police first-class constable, less $100.
After cost savings related to better vacation scheduling and private duty nursing, the settlement will cost $152,000 (1.33 per cent) more than the last contract, reached in May 2021.
"It is anticipated that the impact for the 2023 year... will be similar," Niro said.
Relationships between the city and its firefighters have been strained in recent years, but last year's settlement was similarly amicable.