MILTON, FL—After extensive negotiations, the Milton Professional Firefighters have reached an agreement with the city of Milton that will result in an 3 percent pay increase for firefighters, fire lieutenants and fire captains effective October of this year.
In his letter to the fire department, MPF President James Custred said the Local 2944 voted to ratify the agreement at their last meeting.
"We overwhelmingly approved (the raise) with the associated changes to the language in the contract and the pay scale," Custred said.
According to documentation provided by the bargaining representatives, the increase would bump the pay so that Level 1 firefighters would begin at approximately $12 per hour instead of the approximately $11 per hour they had been. Fire lieutenants at Level 1 would enter in at approximately $13 per hour and a captain would enter at approximately $14 per hour. The Milton Fire Department has 17 staff members divided into three rotating 24-hour shifts of at least five members each. Each shift is composed of a captain, a lieutenant, and three firefighters.
The City Council voted unanimously to approve the pay increase with the council thanking the fireman for their service.
"We love our firefighters," said Mayor Heather Lindsay.
Councilwoman Sharon Holley asked if approving this agreement would affect the ongoing negotiations between the contracts of the general city employees. City Manager Randy Jorgenson said it would not and he was looking forward to continuing those negotiations.
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