Wage agreement reached for South Bend firefighters

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The South Bend Firefighter Local 362 and the City of South Bend have reached a wage agreement for South Bend Fire Department firefighters.

Local 362 members approved the agreement with a vote of 187 in favor and 16 against.

This agreement is a part of a new three-year collective bargaining agreement announced on Friday.

The new agreement would raise the base wages of First-Class Firefighters to $66,717 by 2024.

This is an 8.5 percent increase over three years compared to the current 2021 level of $61, 505.

This agreement is still contingent on Common Council approval.

Once approved, the agreement would also expand the pension base for firefighters to $75, 017.

This is a 15.5 percent increase over three years from the current pension base of $64, 905.

The South Bend Fire Department recently received a Class I Public Protection Classification rating from the Insurance Services Office (ISO).

This is the highest rating possible and puts the department in the top 1 percent nationally in fire suppression capabilities.