Southington, Firefighters Ink New Four-year Contract

SOUTHINGTON, CT — One year removed from a contentious firefighter contract process that saw the Southington Fire Department work without a contract, a new deal for the next four years has already been finalized.

Last week, the Southington Town Council voted unanimously in support of a new, four-year pact that will set the terms of employment for paid Southington firefighters through 2029.

In briefing the council on the contract situation Dec. 8, Southington Town Manager Alex Ricciardone said it was "no secret that negotiations in the past weren't everything everyone was hoping for."

He was referencing the last contract, which was ironed out in the summer of 2024, a retroactive deal that covered 2021-22 to 2024-25, when firefighters worked without a deal.

Ultimately, that contentious contract negotiation went to arbitration, resulting in the existing pact.

For this go-around, Ricciardone told council members that a deal that was in the "best interests of the town" was the goal.

He said, "Nobody is thrilled with the contract; he believes it to be fair."

Ed Crandall, head of the Southington Firefighters Union, agreed.

He said, "If one party walks away feeling that they’ve gotten everything that they wanted, then the process likely did not go the way it was intended to go."

Crandall said Ricciardone and the union "started pretty far apart, but through the process were able to meet in the middle."

The new pact covers fiscal years 2025-26 (retroactive), 2026-27. 2027-28, and 2028-29.

It creates a new pay scale that has the lowest salary going to a Step 1 (lowest experience) firefighter earning $75,136 a year, with the highest pay going to the deputy chief in 2024-25 at $115,759.

Steady pay increases ($2,000 to $3,000 more a year each year) are also written into the deal for all union members.

In the contract signed in 2024 (which was retroactive to 2021) the pay scale was $67,542 a year for a Step 1 firefighter and $112,387 for a deputy chief.

As a result, from contract to contract, Step 1 firefighters are getting an 11.2 percent pay hike, and deputy chiefs are seeing a 3 percent pay raise.

Ultimately, Crandall said the "contract was mutually agreed upon byboth parties, and they were successful in reaching an equitable agreement."

Since Southington has a hybrid paid/volunteer department, the contract is for those who are paid by the town.

To see the full, four-year Southington Fire Department firefighter contract, click on this link.

For the minutes of the Dec. 8 Southington Town Council meeting, click on this link.

From Sept. 9, 2024: 'Southington FD Contract Dispute Ends With New Pact'