For the first time ever, Cleveland and the city's fire department have a new contract without having the current contract expire.
Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson made the announcement Tuesday morning, NewsChannel5 reported.
The new firefighters' contract calls for a 2 percent increase for each year of the new three-year deal. Jackson said this marks a new era of cooperation.
"We only have this amount money, but we again are willing to put money in everybody's pocket. In the collective bargaining agreements they will allow us to move the money around so it will go in their pockets and allow us to provide more and better service for that money," he said.
In order to get the raises, the firefighters' union agreed to rework the rank and file's work schedule. Now fewer firefighters will be off at the same time, which means less overtime costs.
Jackson also announced the rehiring of the firefighters who were laid off during budget cuts three years ago.
