Summary Agreement Would Give Firefighters 1.7 Percent Raises

Newport firefighters might be getting raises of 1.7 percent retroactive to July 1 of last year as long as the City Council approves a summary agreement introduced at last night’s City Council meeting.

The one-year agreement would cover the fiscal year beginning last year and ending on June 30 and would give firefighters the pay bump as the city and the International Associations of Firefighters, Local 1080, continue to negotiate on a new contract.

The previous contract expired last June.

The salary increase is “in order that the parties can continue to negotiate future contract changes,” according to a memo by Joseph J. Nicholson Jr., Interim City Manager.

The cost of the raises would be $107,000, according to a fiscal impact statment.

With the raises, a firefighter’s (non lieutenant, captain or chief) salary would start at $37,641 and would top out at $62,158.03.

To read a copy of the agreement, go HERE.