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Stamford Firefighters Ratify First Contract In Nearly 6 Years For 16% Raise

STAMFORD, Conn. -- Members of the Stamford Professional Fire Fighters Association (SPFFA) Local 786 have overwhelmingly ratified a new union contract with the City of Stamford.

Stamford firefighters have ratified a new contract.

Stamford firefighters have ratified a new contract.

Photo Credit: File

The eight-year accord reached in July with the administration of Mayor David A. Martin was approved by 78 percent of the city’s professional firefighters.

The vote, which concluded on Thursday, drew a record turnout from the union’s membership.

With 259 votes cast, 95 percent of the membership weighed in on the proposed agreement.

The new contract runs retroactively from 2011 to 2018.

The agreement, which now goes to the Stamford Board of Representatives for a vote on Monday, includes a 16.25 percent pay increase spread out over the eight-year life of the contract.

Stamford firefighters had worked without a contract for nearly six years; Stamford is the third largest city in Connecticut, with an estimated population of 128,874, a five percent increase from 2010, when the previous contract expired.

“I am very pleased that my fellow firefighters came together to provide such a ringing endorsement for this contract, which increases wages, offers strong job protections and provides the support required to continue to protect the safety of the citizens of Stamford,” said Brendan Keatley, president of the SPFFA. “This city deserves professional, highly trained firefighters working at full capacity to protect lives and property. We thank the mayor and his leadership team for working to resolve this in the best interests of the entire city.”

The contract also increases staff levels from 52 to 54 professional firefighters on duty at any time, resulting in better coverage throughout the city, particularly for the people of North Stamford.

Along with the other benefits, firefighters will receive new uniforms after safety concerns were raised about the current ones.

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