Council unanimously approves multi‑year MOU with Avondale firefighters including pay and new cancer leave

The Avondale City Council voted unanimously Jan. 26 to approve a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Avondale Professional Firefighters Association (APFFA) Local 3924 that will take effect July 1, 2026 and run through June 30, 2028.

Human Resources Director Andy presented the negotiated changes and said the agreement “reincorporates existing MOU language and introduces revised and new MOU language” focused on recruitment and retention. Key provisions highlighted by staff and union negotiators include a roughly 6.5 percent increase in the wage table compared with the current table (based on a 56‑hour schedule, 2,912 hours per year), an increase in technical rescue pay from $1.10 to $1.50 per hour, and a modified move‑up pay qualification (proposed eligibility after a 15‑minute period rather than a 12‑hour threshold in some comparators).

The MOU establishes changes to deferred compensation contributions (proposed city contribution increases for 457 accounts from $50 to $100 per pay period contingent on a $50 employee contribution), employer contributions to a universal PEP account ($55 per pay period for firefighters, $65 for engineers and $75 for captains), and a restructured productivity/retention pay tier. Most notable for benefits, the city and APFFA agreed to provide up to 26 weeks of paid leave to eligible members diagnosed with a presumptive occupational cancer who do not qualify for coverage under state workers’ compensation; Andy said members would be eligible for the leave upon diagnosis and could pursue a workers’‑compensation claim in tandem, with reconciliation if comp coverage is later approved.

Union representatives praised the negotiations; an APFFA speaker thanked city staff and negotiators and called the agreement “intentional and collaborative.” Council members asked clarifying questions about deferred compensation matching, whether filing with the Industrial Commission is required before providing the presumptive cancer leave (Andy clarified leave is available upon diagnosis, with comp pursued in parallel), and how pay reconciliation would be handled if workers’ compensation later paid benefits. Andy and city management said staff would work with employees to reconcile any duplicate payments rather than seek repayments that would leave members unpaid during treatment.

Andy summarized the estimated budget impact as roughly $925,000 of ongoing dollars to be included in the FY2027 annual budget. After discussion, council voted 7‑0 to approve the MOU and authorized the Mayor, City Manager, City Attorney and City Clerk to execute the necessary documents.