JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Funding pensions has been one of the top stories of the past several years in Jacksonville.
City officials and the International Association of Firefighters Local 122 have reached and signed a three-year tentative collective bargaining agreement after months of negotiation, according to a press release.
The agreement will have salary increases of 12% for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, and 5% for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 fiscal years.
Retirement benefits for new enrollees will move to the Florida Retirement System in 2027, and current enrollees of the defined contribution plan will have the option to remain there or move to the FRS. The City of Jacksonville is moving from a cost percentage plan to a fixed rate plan that allows for accurate budgeting as the workforce continues to grow, the release said.
The union will publish the tentative agreement for 15 days for membership review, followed by three days of voting to ratify the contract. After ratification, the collective bargaining agreement will proceed to the Jacksonville City Council for final approval.
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Chief Keith Powers and union President Kelly Dobson signaled support for the agreement.
“I’m grateful to Mayor Deegan and her administration for negotiating in good faith to deliver the most generous agreement our union has ever received," Dobson stated in the release. “This tentative agreement makes good on broken promises of the past and makes whole our deserving members who put their lives on the line every day.”
“It’s an honor to present this historic agreement to the courageous men and women who work so hard to keep our citizens healthy and safe,” Mayor Donna Deegan said. “We continue to have the best fire department in the country because of their efforts, and the tentative agreement ensures their benefits match their talent and dedication to our community.”