Columbus, firefighters OK new contract, 17.5% raise

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus City Council approved a collective bargaining agreement between the city and the union representing Columbus firefighters, Local #67 of the International Association of Firefighters.

The contract outlines wages, hours, and other terms of employment. Some highlights include 17.5% raises across the board over the next three years.

Negotiations on the deal ended in September 2023, but then conversations continued until they went to a third party to help resolve disputes in the negotiations.

Previously, both sides said they were satisfied with the deal that was reached.

"We're one of the busiest fire EMS agencies in the country," President of Columbus Firefighters Union Steve Stein said during a June Columbus City Council meeting. "The growth of this city we're seeing everywhere, that growth is also turning in our call volume as well, which means the demands on our firefighters, EMTs and paramedics. We're going to need to continue to innovate our responses and have an agile workforce that doesn't go home ever."

At that time, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther sent out the following statement on the contract:

“Although this is not the outcome my administration had hoped to achieve, negotiations between the City of Columbus and the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 67, have solidified that Columbus firefighters are the best paid in the state of Ohio. The Fact Finder’s recommendation will cost $103 million to implement over the next three years. Now we must continue to assess the full economic impact of this agreement.”

The contract goes into effect immediately and firefighters will get back pay for when the contract was set to start -- November 2023. It remains in effect until Oct. 31, 2026.