PEORIA, Ill. (25 News) – Union members representing Peoria firefighters have ratified a tentative three-year contract with the city that would give them annual raises plus incentives to stay with the fire department longer in return for some changes in residency requirements.
25 News reports that the Peoria City Council will vote Tuesday on the deal that calls for a 5 percent pay increase the first year, a 4 percent raise the second year, and a 3 percent pay boost the third and final year of the contract.
Pay for paramedics would increase the first year by 3.5 percent and 4 percent in each of the final two years. Field training instructors would see a 4.5 percent raise in 2026 and a 5 percent hike in 2027 and again in 2028.
Firefighters would also receive incentives for staying with the department longer. They would get a 2 percent increase after five years of service, 4 percent after 10 years, 6 percent after 15 years, and 8 percent after 20 years.
Firefighters would be able to live 25 miles from the central fire station instead of 20 miles as required in the current contract. However, the agreement has firefighters paying back the city 2 percent of their base salary if they choose to move outside the city limits during their first five years with the department. The previous contract had them returning 2 percent of their base salary if they moved out of Peoria during the first 10 years of their contract.
Residency requirements have been a big issue with at-large Councilman Zach Oyler. He was the only member of the council to vote against the last contract in August 2022 because firefighters are not required to live in Peoria.
“I firmly believe that until our employees live in our community and the City of Peoria, it has a negative effect on our neighborhoods,” Oyler said at the time.
Peoria firefighters are represented by Local 50 of the International Association of Firefighters.
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