562.570.6140
Joe.Ambrosini@longbeach.gov
Director
Human Resources Department
Long Beach, CA – The City of Long Beach has reached a tentative three-year labor agreement with the Long Beach Firefighters Association (FFA). The agreement provides salary increases and incentives aimed at improving workforce productivity and skill levels.
"We are happy to have reached a fair and responsible agreement with the Long Beach Firefighters Association,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “This agreement advocates for competitive wages and a supported, safe and diverse work environment. I want to thank the FFA leadership for their work and support to reach this agreement.”
The agreement also provides a new cost sharing provision for an additional 3 percent of the employer portion by CalPERS Classic members, which will provide savings to the City in the near term to offset some of the negotiated benefits.
"This agreement fosters workforce safety and employee wellness and reflects the critical steps we are taking to ensure our sworn Fire Department personnel are supported in every aspect,” said City Manager Tom Modica. “We are confident this agreement will attract and retain the best employees to serve our community.”
The tentative agreement includes the following major terms:
- Three-year contract from Oct. 1, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2025.
- General salary increases of 5 percent in the first year, 4 percent in the second year, and 3.5 percent in the third year.
- Increases to current skill pays (Paramedic and Firefighter II).
- New pension cost-sharing structure for CalPERS Classic members to contribute an additional 3 percent of their salary to help offset the employer portion of pension costs.
“We believe this agreement fairly supports Long Beach Fire Department personnel both in present day and in their future,” said FFA President Rex Pritchard. “I would like to thank the Mayor, City Council and City Manager for their support and our bargaining team for their diligent work throughout this process.”
Members of the FFA voted to ratify the agreement on Sept. 30, 2022. The agreement will go before the Long Beach City Council for consideration and public discussion on Oct. 18, 2022. The FFA represents nearly 400 sworn employees.
Prior to reaching this agreement, City and FFA representatives held nine meetings since June 2022. The total estimated cost for this three-year agreement is $14.3 million for the General Fund Group and $14.4 million for All Funds.
About the City of Long Beach
Home to approximately 470,000 people, the multiple award-winning and innovative City of Long Beach offers all the world-class amenities of a large metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods nestled together along the California coast. As a full-service charter city, Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, several museums and theaters, a highly-rated school district, Long Beach Airport, the Port of Long Beach, as well as many award-winning City departments such as Health, Parks, Recreation and Marine, Development Services, Public Works and more. The City also has a highly respected university and city college, 2 historic ranchos, 5 hospitals, 12 libraries, 5 golf courses, 169 parks, miles of beaches, marinas, bike paths and a Bike Share program.
For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov. Watch us on LBTV. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About Long Beach Fire Department
The mission of the Long Beach Fire Department is to protect lives, property, and the environment, improving the quality of life and safety of the community and our visitors. Visit us at longbeach.gov/fire, "Like" us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram.