Hollister council members voted 3-2 in favor of a new firefighter contract.
The city council Monday approved three-year contract with the Hollister firefighters union. The most recent fire contract expired in June 2014, but the two sides had been negotiating in good faith since then, according to an agenda report. The new deal extends the contract through June 2018.
In the agreement, firefighter personnel will receive a 2.5 percent pay increase in the first year along with a one-time cash payout of $1,000 for all affected employees. On July 1, 2015, firefighters would receive another $1,750 as an additional retention bonus.
Effective Jan. 1, 2016, the city will apply a 2.75 percent pay hike across the board along with final one-time, respective payouts of $1,750 on July 1, 2016.
On Jan. 1, 2017, firefighters will receive another 2.75 percent pay hike to their salaries.
For employees hired before 2013, they would contribute 9 percent of their salaries to retirement costs. For employees hired after that in the tiered system, they would follow the state figure.
Officials on Monday lauded how the new agreement will lower health costs.
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