During a recent Asheville City Council meeting, the president of the Asheville Firefighters Association addressed concerns regarding the newly implemented firefighter pay plan, which has raised alarms among the city's firefighters. Representing approximately 90% of active firefighters, he expressed gratitude for the council's efforts in increasing starting firefighter pay to just above $50,000 annually, a significant improvement from previous levels.

However, he highlighted a critical issue regarding pay compression within the ranks, which has reportedly worsened under the new plan. Compression refers to the minimal pay differences between firefighters of varying experience levels and ranks. The president explained that while the initial proposal aimed to enhance starting pay, it inadvertently led to a deterioration in pay equity among ranks, which was a concern raised by the finance director during the budget discussions.

The firefighters had initially proposed a starting pay of $18.25 per hour, but the final plan adopted by the council did not address the compression issues adequately. Instead, it resulted in similar flaws to the original proposal, with compression worsening by up to 1.8% across various ranks. This outcome, he noted, could lead to significant financial losses for firefighters over their careers.

The president emphasized that the new pay plan did not align with the council's intentions to maintain pay integrity and equity among firefighters. He urged the council to reconsider the implications of the current pay structure, which he believes does not reflect the best interests of the firefighters or the community they serve.