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Following a week-long vote, Cape Coral’s fire union has ratified a contract that cuts their pay by 3 percent and increases pension contributions by 3 percent.
It follows the city’s police union, which ratified a similar contract last month. City Council will consider both contracts Monday.
The fire contract will save the city about $1.6 million a year. In addition to the pay and pension concessions, the agreement calls for the loss of holiday pay for two holidays and reduces the amount of unused leave time firefighters can sell back to the city.
In a press release, fire union president Brendan Fonock credited the city’s new bargaining team with helping reach the deal. Financial Services Director Vicki Bateman took over for labor attorney John Hament as lead negotiator last month.
“It took over two years to negotiate this agreement, but after changes were made by the majority of voters of Cape Coral, an oppressive approach to bargaining was lifted by the City and an agreement was reached soon after that,” Fonock said.
