Politics & Government

Dixon City Council Approves Firefighters' Contract

Last night, the Dixon City Council approved a contract for Dixon Professional Firefighters Association that would achieve desired savings for the city and would not require a base pay cut for firefighters

Two weeks ago, members of the Dixon Professional Firefighters Association Local 4665 gathered inside the chambers of the to urge the council to not impose a contract on them that would have cut their base pay salaries by 8 percent.

It was a concession that was given past concessions that have been made by the union, but one that city staff said would be necessary in tough financial times. The imposed contract would have saved the city $215,671 within two years.

But last night during a public hearing, the Dixon City Council approved a contract for the firefighters – after directing its negotiation team to return to the bargaining table during the Aug. 10 impasse hearing – that achieves the desired savings over two years, but does not cut the firefighters' base-pay salaries.

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The negotiation teams for the union and the city came up with a contract that reduces the cash out payment – called Medical Benefits Allowance – by a total of 50 percent for firefighters who opt out of receiving medical benefits from the city; eliminates the uniform allowance given to firefighters by the second year; and reduces the education incentive from 7 percent to 4 percent during the first year, and eliminates it entirely by the second year.

The contract also calls for the union members to pay an additional/remaining 3.8 percent (in addition to the 3.913 percent the city owes under a previous contract) towards PERS; a PERS retirement program of 3 percent at 55 with three-year average for new hires; and a payment of an additional .55 percent toward the employer share in PERS.

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“This is a difficult time for everyone and we appreciate their willingness to continue working with the city council and city staff,” Mayor Jack Batchelor said.

“I’d also like to point out that I admire your creativity,” Councilman Thom Bogue said., adding that the firefighters were able to find cost-saving measures that he did not think about.

DPFA President Brian Schroeder was in attendance at the meeting and thanked the council for directing its staff to return to the bargaining table and staff for working towards an agreeable solution for everyone involved.

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