LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville firefighters could get a bump in pay.

The Louisville Professional Firefighters Local 54 Union voted in favor of a new 5-year contract.

What You Need To Know

  • The Louisville Professional Firefighters Local 54 union voted in favor of a new 5-year contract

  •  The contract would give firefighters a 24% raise over a 5-year period

  •  Louisville Metro Council still needs to vote on the contract

  • The union president said he expects Metro Council to approve the contract in early August

Firefighters had been working under an expired contract for about a year and may now get a 24% raise over a five-year period.

“So we have four years remaining on this current contract that’s been ratified by the body. It gives them a 7% raise effective July 1st of last year, 5% raise effective yesterday, additional 5% next year, 3% the following and 4% the following,” said Jeff Taylor, president of the Louisville Professional Firefighters Union.

Taylor said the contract is good, but not great. A 60% majority of the union voted in favor and 40% against, with all but seven firefighters voting.

“We as local leaders here have concern when we have 40% of our members that don’t vote positively for a contract because it means we didn’t satisfy their needs, we didn’t check their boxes, and it bothers us,” he said.

Longevity and base rate make up most of a firefighter’s compensation. One reason firefighters voted against it, Taylor said, was because the increase to pay only applied to the base rate and not longevity.

“Frankly, their request to consider that on longevity was a just request. It was consistent with what they were doing with FOP, with corrections. It was consistent in how they were bargaining with other things. It wasn’t an unreasonable request on our part. It just was falling on deaf ears,” Taylor said.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg, D- Louisville, issued a statement regarding the union voting in favor of the contract.

It said, “I am incredibly grateful for the hard work our firefighters put in every day to keep us safe and I am pleased they approved their new contract. This contract provides historic 24% raises over the next several years, including an immediate 7% raise to help the department recruit and retain the best firefighters in the city. Thank you to the members of Louisville Fire Department.”

Taylor said he and the mayor are expected to sign the contract on Tuesday.

It will go to Metro Council to be read and voted on. Taylor said the earliest that could happen would be early August and he expects Metro Council to approve it.

The union president said firefighters will probably see the increase in their paychecks in September.

The Louisville Professional Firefighters Union still has budget concerns.

Nearly $87 million from the city’s budget is going to the Louisville Fire Department; but only about 3% of that goes to operations, raising concerns about its aging facilities and equipment.

“So, we have a lot of work to do in bringing our facilities up to the modern era…these are 24/7 365 day facilities. People are coming and going constantly. You know, we’re always there. The lights are always on, the HVAC is always running, and the coffee pot is always flowing,” Taylor said.

The union said it’s working with the mayor to get those concerns addressed in next year’s budget.

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