Union ratifies contract for Youngstown firefighter wage increase
The Youngstown Firefighters Union ratified a contract Tuesday night that will give raises to members beginning in 2019.
The Youngstown Firefighters Union ratified a three-year contract Tuesday night that will give raises to members beginning in 2019.
The union conducted two days of voting to decide if the contract would go through.
Fire Union President of Local 312, Tony Ciccone, said the vote was unanimous.
The contract includes a one percent raise effective Jan. 1, 2019 and a 1.5 percent raise Jan. 1, 2020.
Back on August 31, the city of Youngstown was approved for a nearly $400,000 federal grant.
This grant allows the fire department to hire four additional firefighters, which would reduce current employees' overtime pay and help keep the truck and station running.
Last month, the Youngstown City Council Safety Committee was looking to take one engine out of commission from the fire department because of the overtime budget exceeding its limit.
Ciccone said the fire department has already been cut recently because of retirement and long-term injuries.
However, four new firefighters were sworn in on Tuesday morning.
Mayor John McNally swore in Christopher Tripi, Joseph Stubbs, Michael Donofrio and Zackary Cook.
The four were hired under the FEMA Safer Staffing grant that the department accepted from the city's federal grant.
April Edwards, a 19-year veteran with the department, also received a promotion.
Youngstown City Council will vote on the contract Wednesday for an official approval.