By Olivia Anderson | oanderson@alextimes.com
On Tuesday evening, City Council unanimously approved a resolution to commit funding toward a collective bargaining agreement between Alexandria and the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2141.
According to the agreement, Alexandria Fire Department employees will receive “competitive, market-rate salary increases, a pathway to reduced hours in the work week, assurance of ongoing investments in city facilities and safety initiatives,” and “continued access to the city’s benefits package.”
The agreement will allocate $3.5 million next year for salaries and other costs, and another $13.9 million over three years. It also allows for more safety initiatives, totaling up to $2.4 million next year and $13.5 million over three years.
Council’s approval of the agreement follows the city’s first collective bargaining agreement last year with the Southern States Police Benevolent Association for Alexandria Police Department employees – the first in more than 40 years.
While the move has elicited some mixed reactions, Mayor Justin Wilson expressed excitement about the agreement.
“City staff, alongside IAFF leadership, were committed to finding common ground in the interest of public safety, as well as elevating the collective voice of the department,” he said.
