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Cheyenne mayor offers proposal that would total 6% pay increase for firefighters in 2026; union to caucus
Summary
Mayor Collins presented a written contract proposal to IAFF Local 279 that would memorialize a 3% pay increase already awarded and add a further 3% raise effective July 1 (for a 6% total in 2026), plus changes to vacation, accrual and sick‑leave language; the union asked for time to review the document and will return at the next meeting.
Mayor Collins and representatives of Cheyenne Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 279 met to continue collective‑bargaining talks, during which the city presented a written proposal that would memorialize a 3% increase already given to all city employees and add an additional 3% raise for members of the fire department effective July 1, a combined 6% increase for the 2026 year.
The union opened the meeting by thanking the mayor and the governing body and emphasizing the union's priority: keeping Cheyenne competitive in the regional firefighter labor market. "Local 279 has worked hard to help meet the city's needs," a union representative said, calling the relationship "stronger" and noting past concessions in 2020 and during the previous year when members forwent wage increases amid fiscal uncertainty.
Collins said he recognized the union's concerns about pay and urged the parties to first agree on the proper peer group for comparisons. He described differences in pension formulas and tax structures among Wyoming, Colorado and Montana to explain why direct cross‑state pay comparisons can be misleading. "Comparing Wyoming departments to other states is difficult as they have different funding sources that affect the ability to fund public safety efforts," Collins said.
On the specific contract language, Collins outlined several proposed changes. The city would define rotational positions (section 2), revise contract dates (section 4), and in section 21 propose memorializing the 3% increase already awarded to city employees on Jan. 1 and adding an additional 3% for firefighters effective July 1, resulting in an aggregate 6% increase for 2026. The proposal also includes new vacation‑scheduling language that would allow up to two slots above minimum staffing (currently noted at 25), exceptions for military deployments and extended illness, revised accrual payout administration to align with other city employees, and a section allowing daytime personnel to use sick leave for medical visits consistent with the city handbook.
The union asked for time to review the written proposal line by line and requested a short caucus before taking further action; the union representative said they would reconvene at the next scheduled meeting to continue negotiations. Council staff confirmed a tentative follow‑up session for Monday at 6 p.m.
Procedural motions included a brief executive‑session caucus earlier in the meeting and a formal motion to adjourn at the close of the session. The mayor recorded the adjournment motion as "Moved by Mister Seagrave, seconded by Doctor Aldridge," which the council approved by voice vote.
The parties left the meeting with the next in‑person negotiation set for Monday evening so the union can review the city's offer in detail. No final changes to the collective‑bargaining agreement were adopted at this meeting.
