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Gary council ratifies firefighters’ contract after 22 years without an agreement
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Summary
The Gary Common Council on April 21 unanimously approved CPR 2026-02, a collective bargaining agreement with IAFF Local 359 that council and union leaders described as a milestone after more than two decades without a contract. The measure passed 9–0 after the council suspended rules to consider it on second reading.
The Gary Common Council unanimously approved a new collective bargaining agreement with the Gary Fire Department’s IAFF Local 359 on April 21, a milestone the mayor, union leaders and the fire chief said ends more than 22 years without a formal contract.
Fire Chief Larry Tillman, who presented the ordinance to council, said the agreement memorializes pay and benefits that the department had been practicing and adds new provisions. “We solidified the base pay,” Tillman said, and the contract also preserves longevity pay, restored the clothing allowance, aligns health insurance rates with other city employees, establishes NFPA annual physicals and expands certification pay into multiple divisions. Tillman said the city has budgeted funds to cover the first-year costs.
Mayor Eddie Melton thanked Tillman and union leadership, saying the agreement “lays a foundation after 22 years without having any agreement at all.” Kevin Benford, president of Local 359, called the day “historical” and presented council members with a ceremonial hoodie to mark the occasion.
Council members moved to suspend the rules and consider CPR 2026-02 on all three readings; the suspension passed by roll call and the contract was adopted by a 9–0 vote. Council President Linda Barnes Caldwell and other members praised the negotiation and recognized the department publicly during the meeting.
The agreement’s provisions presented to the council included written longevity payments, an increase in the clothing allowance to levels noted in earlier contracts, certification pay expansions, and a process for extreme weather staffing. Tillman said the health coverage language also covers eligible retirees for the next three years. The chief and the mayor said the changes were negotiated with union input and that some items reflect previously practiced policies now placed in the contract.
Union leadership and the mayor said not every request was fully granted, but they characterized the result as a meaningful step for public safety staffing and labor stability. The council unanimously approved suspending the rules to consider the measure and voted 9–0 to adopt CPR 2026-02.
The council’s action took place after committee reports recommended the measure be reported out for passage. Following the vote, community and union representatives addressed the council briefly and the meeting proceeded to remaining business.
