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Date: 2/2/2022
CHICOPEE – Extensive contract talks between the city and the firefighters finally reached its conclusion, with Mayor John Vieau announcing the approval of a three-year contract and a year of retroactive merit pay during the Jan. 18 City Council meeting.
The mayor detailed the contract update as a part of his mayor’s orders, sharing that the new contract will include a year of 2 percent merit pay increase to represent the department’s work during the start of the pandemic while the three-year contract represents a 2 to 3 percent raise per year for the staff.
Human Resources Director Paul Winspeare considered the negotiation process a “successful one.” He continued, “We worked hard as a team to ensure that we kept cognition of the city’s finances, as well as give recognition to the hard work in service of the firefighters at hand.” The new contract includes recognitions to new holidays, like Juneteenth, as well as gender neutral language.
Ward 1 Councilor Joel McAuliffe applauded the mayor’s office for creating a strong agreement between both sides after the Fire Department worked without a defined contract through much of the pandemic. “They’ve been on the front lines from day one here. They did us a favor knowing that the city had a lot going on and a lot of financial uncertainty,” said McAuliffe, who further praised the contract for being beneficial to long-time employees and new hires alike.
The City Council approved the new contract and merit pay bonus in a unanimous vote.
After the meeting, Vieau expressed his appreciation for the Fire Department’s commitment and understanding. “I want to commend the Fire Department under Chief [Daniel] Stamborski. It’s been admirable seeing their commitment to protecting this city,” said Vieau in an interview with Reminder Publishing.
Vieau shared the negotiation process went smoothly, with the contract being ratified unanimously by both sides. While securing a contract remained a central goal, the mayor stressed the importance of achieving those negotiations as soon as possible. “It felt like the right thing to do,” said Vieau.
Looking forward, Vieau said the city is continuing to place an emphasis on expanding the Fire Department’s staff so that current members won’t be overworked with overtime hours. “We’re hopeful to continue to hire a full complement of fire fighters to protect the city,” said Vieau.