San Antonio Official Declares Firefighters’ Request for 33% Pay Increase ‘Unrealistic’
In San Antonio, the fire union has proposed a hefty 33.7% pay increase over the next three-year period. However, Deputy City Manager Maria Villagomez termed the proposed hike as “unrealistic” in a recent meeting discussing future collective bargaining agreement that expires in December.
Union’s Proposal vs City’s Stand
The fire union has stated that they will agree to the city’s proposed annual raises of 4% only if these are accompanied by a substantial 21.7% increase in its members’ annual base pay.
“It feels to us that you are negotiating for what happened in the past 10 years,” Villagomez voiced during the meeting, referring to the last contract negotiation that had the fire department employees going without a raise for six years. The dispute finally ended in 2020 via arbitration.
Additional Union Demands
Furthermore, the union wants the new contract to ensure 72 hours off after each 24-hour shift for employees, up from the current 48-hours. This change would necessitate the hiring of an additional 404 personnel to maintain service levels.
Union negotiators are also seeking a higher starting salary for entry-level firefighters, contending that San Antonio’s present figure of $56,172 significantly lags behind that offered in Dallas, Arlington, and Plano.
Budgetary Constraints
City officials, however, maintain that they lack the necessary funding to fulfill the union’s desired changes. To attempt to accommodate the proposed pay bump and additional hiring, the city would have to draw from the general fund typically earmarked for public projects such as street work and public libraries.
Looking Ahead
Despite the considerable gap in expectations and resources, negotiations between the city and the union continue as the December expiry date of the current collective bargaining agreement approaches. It remains to be seen how San Antonio will reconcile the needs of its firefighters with financial sustainability in the coming months.
While this process unfolds, city officials, union representatives, and firefighters await the outcome with bated breath, keenly aware that the final agreement will set the precedent for future wage negotiations in the city.
