Collective Bargaining Agreement Funding Commitment Up For City Council Approval

ALEXANDRIA, VA — A funding commitment to fulfill the tentative collective bargaining agreement with a firefighters union will be considered by Alexandria City Council Tuesday.

Mayor Justin Wilson said in a tweet that the tentative agreement for Alexandria Fire Department employees would be the second in Virginia in over 40 years. The city's agreement with the Southern States Police Benevolent Association for Alexandria Police Department employees was the first in over 40 years.

Collective bargaining had existed in Alexandria and 18 other Virginia localities until a 1977 Virginia Supreme Court ruling stopped local governments from collective bargaining with their employees. A Virginia law that took effect May 1, 2021 allowed counties, cities and towns to adopt ordinances to recognize labor unions or employee associations as a bargaining unit and enter into collective bargaining. Alexandria's collective bargaining ordinance was approved in April 2021.

The latest tentative agreement is with International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2141, the union representing firefighters, medics and fire marshals in Alexandria. IAFF Local 2141 was chosen as the bargaining representative for Alexandria Fire Department employees. City government and the union reached the tentative agreement on Jan. 6.

The agreement would begin July 1, 2023 and run through June 30, 2026. It includes a 5 pay increase to make pay more competitive for firefighter I, firefighter II, firefighter III, firefighter IV, and fire lieutenant positions as well as a 10 percent increase for fire lieutenant, EMS lieutenant, fire captain, and EMS captain positions.

In addition, the agreement would provide a 2 percent annual pay raise during the agreement, offers merit increases for eligible employees, and sets percentage amounts between pay scale steps. The agreement also sets guidelines in areas like overtime, which has been a concern amid staffing shortages.

The agreement is estimated to cost $27.5 million through fiscal year 2026. That includes a $13.9 million difference for salaries and benefits the city would pay because of collective bargaining. The remaining $13.52 million cost through fiscal year 2026 would be to add 52 positions, reducing firefighter work schedules from 56 to 50 hours per week. The additional funds would also support traffic signal installation at five fire stations.

Actual appropriation of the funds for the collective bargaining agreement would occur with city's annual budgets.