PEORIA, Ill. (25 News) – Peoria’s City Council ratified a three-year contract with the firefighter’s union Tuesday night, although two council members voted against the agreement because they believe city employees should be required to live within city limits.
At-large Councilman Zach Oyler and 2nd District Councilman Alex Carmona said they support most of the contract’s provisions that include pay raises and financial incentives to keep firefighters on the force.
But, according to 25 News, Oyler and Carmona objected to giving firefighters the option to move from Peoria during their first five years of service, which was shortened from 10 years in the previous contract. If a firefighter moves out in the first five years, they would be penalized 2 percent of their base salary. After five years, firefighters can move up to 25 miles away from the central fire house, an increase from 20 miles in the previous contract.
Oyler said he votes against all union contracts that allow city employees to live elsewhere. Working in real estate, he said he knows that people will be more likely to buy a home if police officers or firefighters live in the neighborhood.
Oyler also said that city workers should be spending their dollars locally. Carmona agreed, saying, “If you’re bargaining to step away from the community that pays you, it doesn’t sit well with me.”
Carmona said that it bothers him that 58 of the 178 union firefighters don’t live in Peoria.
“Why do people want to move out of Peoria? I think that’s something that we as a council need to think very closely about and get to the bottom of,” Carmona said.
Mayor Rita Ali voted with the majority in favor of the contract.
“I think that we would lose good people if we required everybody to live within the City of Peoria, and don’t give people some options,” Ali said.
The new contract calls for firefighters to receive a 5 percent increase their first year, a 4 percent raise the second year, and a 3 percent raise the third year.
Paramedics will receive a 3.5 percent raise the first year and 4 percent in each of the last two years, while field training officers’ base pay will increase 4.5 percent this year, and 5 percent in 2027 and 2028.
The raises will cost Peoria an extra $2.3 million over the next three years, according to City Manager Patrich Urich.
Peoria firefighters are represented by Local 50 of the International Association of Firefighters.
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