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The Chicago Sun-Times has published an article (part of a series coming in the next few weeks) that dives into the complexities of the Chicago Fire Department’s union contract, which is set to expire at the end of June. The piece highlights significant increases in base salaries for firefighters and chief officers, revealing how additional benefits have dramatically boosted their overall compensation.
According to a recent analysis by the Sun-Times, the city of Chicago pays fire department employees over $80 million annually in perks that raise their average salary by more than $15,000 per person. These extra payments aren’t reflected in the online database of city worker pay created by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, which was meant to increase transparency. While the database shows an average salary of around $87,000 for fire department employees, the actual average—when considering all the bonuses and benefits—reaches about $104,000.
The article explains that these hidden financial advantages are causing growing tensions as the firefighters’ union negotiates a new contract with City Hall. The current five-year agreement, which expired in 2007, included several new provisions such as hazard training bonuses and holiday pay, which have since become major cost drivers.
For example, firefighters who complete diving or hazardous materials training now receive a 5% pay boost. By 2011, nearly 4,000 employees had qualified for this benefit, doubling the number from 2008. The number of certified divers also rose sharply, from 142 to 367, contributing to a surge in specialty pay from $6.4 million in 2008 to over $18.3 million last year.
Holiday premium pay—double the regular rate for work on 13 holidays—cost the city over $19.2 million in 2011, while "duty availability" pay, which gives every firefighter an extra $805 every three months, added another $15 million.
Mayor Emanuel’s administration is proposing to eliminate duty availability pay and limit specialty pay to those actually working in those roles. Union leaders, however, have vowed to resist these changes, calling them unfair and damaging to the gains made under previous leadership.
The article also includes a list of the top 100 highest-paid Chicago fire department employees, showing how many of them earn significantly more than their base salary due to these additional benefits. For instance, Dan Fabrizio, a battalion chief and political director of the firefighters’ union, earned $129,349 in base pay but took home over $154,000 when including all extras.
The full article can be found HERE.