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Council adopts one‑year tentative agreement for part‑time firefighters and EMTs; weekend overtime pay and ratification bonus noted
Summary
Norton City Council approved a one‑year tentative agreement covering part‑time firefighters and EMTs for 2025 that includes a $1 hourly market adjustment, a 3.5% wage adjustment, a $500 ratification bonus and time-and-a-half pay for weekend hours. The vote passed on roll call with one council member opposed.
Norton City Council voted Tuesday to adopt a one‑year tentative collective bargaining agreement covering part‑time firefighters and EMTs that runs from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2025.
Council members discussed provisions including a $1 per hour market adjustment, a 3.5% wage increase, a $500 ratification bonus and a change to weekend pay: all hours worked between Saturday morning and midnight Sunday will be paid at time and a half (1.5x). Council members and staff described the change as intended to help staff weekend coverage by making part‑time weekend work more attractive; council discussion raised concerns that sizable increases for one unit can set precedent for other bargaining units.
The administration and union negotiators characterized the move as a targeted, one‑year agreement designed to restore scheduling stagger and to remain competitive with nearby part‑time fire departments. Council members observed that many of the city’s part‑time firefighters also work full time elsewhere and that offering competitive weekend pay makes Norton more attractive for experienced part‑time hires. The administration said Norton has about 23 part‑time firefighters.
Motion to adopt the tentative agreement carried in a roll call vote. Tally as recorded by the clerk: Mr. Lukens — Yes; Ms. Lee — Yes; Mr. Harbert — Yes; Mr. Towsley — No; Mr. Adler — Yes; Mr. Mowery — Yes; Mr. De Harbert — Yes. The agreement will be returned to council with the full, executed contract as is standard for collective‑bargaining agreements.
