The Alexandria City Council approved a resolution last week to commit funding toward a collective bargaining agreement between the City of Alexandria and the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 2141, the local firefighters’ union.
The agreement provides funding for salary increases, reduced work hours, investments in safety initiatives and a benefits package.
City Manager Jim Parajon and local union leader Josh Turner praised the agreement, while also acknowledging that both sides made compromises and that discussions are not over yet. But city resident Bill Rossello, who has worked with local governments on fiscal matters and was a long-time member of Alexandria’s budget committee, said the agreement is too expensive with hidden unintended fiscal consequences.
Parajon said the agreement marks a profound step toward strengthening the relationship between the city and fire department and therefore bolstering the department as a whole.
“I think it shows a true commitment on the part of our elected body and management team to be fully supportive of the fire department. We want to make sure that we have the best fire department we can,” Parajon said.
The process was extensive and involved numerous conversations between the city’s and fire department’s bargaining units. Beginning several months ago, the two parties met weekly or biweekly to discuss the various issues the fire bargaining unit desired to alter.
“It was very lengthy. [There were] a lot of spirited,...
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