The city of Cape Coral and the Cape Coral Firefighters Union Local 2424 finalized Wednesday the language for the tentative contract agreement that now can be sent to the union membership for a vote.

“We had a couple of tweaks to make in the language of the final agreement before both sides could sign the agreement and take it to the fire union members for a ratification vote,” said interim City Manager Steve Pohlman.

Union President Mark Muerth and the city’s lead negotiator, Financial Services Director Victoria Bateman, signed the final agreement Wednesday afternoon.

According to Muerth, the union will provide a 15-day notice to the membership and then allow four days for voting. The agreement could be ratified by Feb. 3 and be placed before the city council for consideration on Feb. 6.

The agreement covers battalion chiefs and the rank and file units.

On Dec. 28, the city’s negotiating team and the union leadership agreed to a 2 percent salary reduction and a reduction of two days worth of “holiday” pay. In addition, the union agreed to increase its employees’ share of pension contribution from 7 percent to 10 percent, which will reduce the city’s contribution percentage.

The wage and benefit concessions will provide an annualized savings of $1.6 million to the city.

Source: City of Cape Coral