CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati City Council passed two motions on Wednesday with the intention of improving pay and job benefits for firefighters.
The first motion, which the council approved unanimously, has to do with compensation for firefighters receiving treatment for job-related illnesses.
The motion aims to create a new job leave benefit, which means firefighters with occupational illnesses like cancer won't have to use paid time off for appointments following a diagnosis.
Cincinnati Fire Fighters Union Local 48 President Joe Elliot said earlier this month that several members of the fire department are fighting cancer that they believe developed as a result of their work in the fire department, and the city had been fighting against compensation for things like paid time off for treatment.
"It's not just cancer, it's also cardiovascular and lung ailments as well," said Melissa Arnold, first vice president of the fire union. "We spent probably nine months in 2024 working out these issues in our collective bargaining agreement."
WATCH: A Cincinnati Fire Fighters Union Local 48 leader reacts to the actions taken by city council
The second motion focused on settling an ongoing legal dispute between the city and fire union. It stems from a policy in the labor agreement known as the "me too" clause. The provision states that whenever the Cincinnati police union gets a pay increase, the city must give one of the same amount to the fire union as well.
An arbitrator recently sided with the fire department in a "me too" case, awarding millions of dollars in total compensation, but the city appealed the decision in August, claiming the arbitrator "exceeded the scope of her authority" in awarding the fire department a pay increase.
The unanimously passed motion by the city council prompts the city administration to settle the lawsuit and subsequent appeal, using money from the current city budget closeout to cover "any financial impact from the settlement."
"Firefighters are going out there, and on the worst day of people's lives, they are there. They're taking care of them. They're putting out fires. They're there for medical emergencies," Councilman Seth Walsh said. "That's part of the labor agreement. It should have been taken care of a year ago. Council has to step in now to make sure that happens."
During the meeting, City Manager Sheryl Long explained why the city chose to appeal the decision stemming from the case. She said, "All fiscal decisions, including contract negotiations, are not made in a vacuum."
"I must weigh employee compensation decisions with the needs of other employees, as well as our responsibility to deliver services to the public," Long said. "Under these contract terms, CFD has the second-best-paid members amongst our peer Ohio cities, only behind Columbus."
Long said the city is looking at a "serious projected operating budget deficit" next year, which played a role in the decision.
The referenced pay increase for Cincinnati police officers is specifically carved out for eligible officers who have been with the city for more than five years, Long said, to bolster the number of CPD officers through retention and attraction.
"I believe that this is a goal that we all share since we have not been able to achieve the budgeted complement of officers for CPD for many years," Long said. "Our fire department is a different story. CFD is at its budget complement and has no struggle with recruiting or retaining members."
Long said in lieu of funding for recruitment efforts, CFD received a compensation packet in 2024 geared toward their own operational needs, including money for cancer screening, preventative treatment and ongoing care.
“Their operational needs are different,” she said. “Fire’s ‘me too’ clause applies to across-the-board pay raises … It's the administration's opinion that 'me too' should not apply.”
The pay increase connected to the "me too" clause for the fire union would only apply to city firefighters who have been with the department for more than five years, Arnold said.
"I think the devil will be in the details, so to speak," said Arnold. "We'll see where we go from here. It's encouraging to have (city council's) support, and we're very appreciative of their support."
