City & Firefighter Union reach innovative new agreement

Community service and sustainability are cornerstones to a new collective agreement between the City of Lethbridge and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Union Local #237. 

The last collective agreement between the groups expired in 2020. Today City Council ratified a new agreement covering 2021-2025. 

“Both bargaining teams have to be commended for the immense amount of work and innovation that was brought to the table,” says Lethbridge Mayor, Blaine Hyggen. “This is an important agreement because it creates a strong, sustainable future for the people and the systems that support critical emergency services to our community. I want to thank our staff for their patience through this process and for their ongoing dedication to public service.”

One of the major innovations of the new agreement will allow Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Service (LFES) to implement a new operating model within the department. By introducing an EMS operational division, LFES will be able to maintain its integrated fire and EMS service but also allow staff to remain in the EMS division, if they choose. 

“This is an industry leading approach,” says LFES Chief, Greg Adair. “It is significant for our department because it creates a long-term strategy to map out a sustainable way forward. It will help with recruitment, retention and financial viability while still supporting our integrated approach – a system we know provides an extremely high level of service our community.”

Currently, employees joining LFES are trained as both paramedics and firefighters but will spend several years working in EMS before expanding to firefighting. The new system will have recruits enter the system as dedicated EMS employees, with training support to advance to firefighting closer to when they will start actively working in fire suppression. This creates operational efficiencies and allows for more flexible recruitment and career opportunities within LFES.

In addition to operational changes, the new collective agreement settles wage increases to the end of 2025. Members will see a total wage increase of 16.25 per cent over five years:

• 2021 – 2.75 per cent
• 2022 – 3.25 per cent
• 2023 – 3.00 per cent
• 2024 – 3.75 per cent
• 2025 – 3.50 per cent

On November 27, 95 per cent of IAFF Local #237 members voted on the new agreement. Of those who voted, 99 per cent were in favour of ratifying the deal. The City of Lethbridge employs 253 IAFF members who fill roles in integrated paramedic/firefighting, fire prevention and dispatch.

For Public Inquiries:
Call or chat with 311 | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.