SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane City Council approved a five-year labor agreement with Local 29, which represents firefighters and dispatchers, to transfer dispatch services from the Spokane Fire Department to the regional agency at SREC.
The agreement passed by a vote of 5-1.
According to a press release from the City of Spokane, the contract with Local 29 begins to address SFD's reliance on overtime to meet shift staffing needs. The contract includes scheduling and vacation usage updates to introduce greater staffing predictability and control costs associated with covering absences.
The City says the contract is retroactive to January 1, 2020 and runs through the end of 2024.
Negotiations are expected to begin with SREC regarding the move of fire dispatching to the regional agency no sooner than January 1, according to the City. Movement to SREC is contingent upon the City's ability to secure acceptable terms that include levels of service standards, City membership on the board and considerations for transfer of current dispatchers.
“It was extremely important that we get these contracts done in a timely manner,” Mayor Nadine Woodward said. “These are good deals for the people the City serves and for our public safety employees who answer the call for help every day.”
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