
Photo via City of Kamloops
The City of Kamloops and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 913 have ratified a new four-year contract that is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2022.
The new contract includes wage increases of 3.5 per cent in 2022, 4.5 per cent in 2023 and 2024, and five per cent in 2025.
“We went through some tough inflationary years and because we were behind on our contract, those are the rates that got set provincially,” IAFF Local 913 President Jeremy Brodtrick said of the 17.5 per cent wage increase.
“As a medium sized local, we’re not jumping out and setting wages and terms in the province, those are usually set by the Lower Mainland locals but we make progress in other areas that are more specific to KFR and Local 913. What it means for us is we have an active collective agreement through to the end of 2025 which is good.”
The previous contract expired at the end of 2021, meaning Kamloops firefighters had to continue working under the terms of the previous agreement.
“It might sound surprising that we work without a contract but it is pretty common in British Columbia to get behind a little bit and we usually play off our comparators and work to negotiate collectively throughout the province to make sure everyone stays on the same page,” Brodtrick said.
Speaking on NL Newsday, Brodtrick says the new contract also has provisions that focus on improving the physical and psychological health and wellbeing of Kamloops firefighters.
“We’re just starting to see more wear and tear on a firefighter in general,” Brodtrick said. “The more you get exposed to, the more you are at risk later in your career for developing some sort of a mental occupational stress injury.”
“The healthiest way to combat that is to use counselling services or mental health professionals just to kind stay on top and do your checks its and make sure that you’re taking care of yourself, not just physically but psychologically as well.”
Brodtrick says the IAFF Local 913 did not look to add any new positions as part of bargaining with the City of Kamloops.
The department currently consists of 138 total members, the majority of which – 116 – are frontline firefighters who are part of the suppression division. The others work as fire investigators, in dispatch, or as part of either the training or mechanical division at KFR.
“Our staffing, ultimately operationally that would be the Chief’s jurisdiction,” Brodtrick said. “We still have our same full-time equivalent allotment, and for us that is good because last year we were able to get that fire hall in Westsyde fully staffed, and that is step forward in a growing city.”
“We share the same visions as the Fire Chief in what staffing looks like moving forward to make sure we are safer when we respond to incidents and we’ll see what comes of that down the road here.”
The new KFR deal means all three public sector unions at the City of Kamloops now have new contracts as the City reached a two-year deal with CUPE Local 900 in April. That new deal will see municipal workers at the City of Kamloops get a four per cent raise in 2024 and 2025, along with a four per cent cost of living increase.
RCMP members were also awarded a four per cent salary increase per year for two years and a one-time allowance of $2,500, which are included in the new collective agreement that is retroactive to April 1, 2023.
Negotiations with the National Police Federation – which represents RCMP officers – were handled by the NPF and the Treasury Board of Canada at a federal level, with that contract set to expire on March 31, 2025.
The City says it equates to an additional $2.8 million for RCMP officers once the five previously approved positions are filled.