Fire Collective Bargaining Agreement 9/8/2026

The City of El Paso, Texas, held a meeting on September 8, 2026, focused on negotiating the Fire Collective Bargaining Agreement with the El Paso Association of Firefighters Local 51. Key procurement-related discussions centered on salary adjustments, including cost-of-living increases (COLA) proposed by the city ranging from 3% to 3.5% annually over four years, and the implementation of step increases and incentives for firefighters. The city presented financial analyses and budget considerations to support their proposals, emphasizing smoothing fiscal impacts over multiple years. The union rejected proposed language changes related to legislative clauses but expressed willingness to continue negotiations. Both parties discussed specialty team incentives, sick leave sellback provisions, and retroactive pay adjustments. The meeting concluded with plans to finalize contract language and pay scales for membership voting and city council approval.