An Arlington Heights Fire Department engine works at the scene of a structure fire. (Journal file photo)
A new contract with Arlington Heights will give local firefighters a 3% pay raise in 2026, 3.5% in 2027, and 3.25% in 2028.
Village trustees unanimously approved the three-year contract during their meeting on Tuesday night, Jan. 20. The new collective bargaining agreement with the Arlington Heights Firefighters Association Local 3105 runs through Dec. 31, 2028. Under the deal, salaries will now begin at $81,337 for a firefighter in their probationary period and go up to $145,626 for the most tenured fire lieutenants. However, firefighters will also be contributing more (16%) toward their insurance premiums than in the previous contract (14%).
In addition to the annual pay increases, the contract increased longevity pay for firefighters with continuous unbroken service with the village by $250. Firefighters with at least five years of service will now get an additional $1,000 annually while those with 20 years or more of service will receive $1,850. The contract also adds a $750 annual stipend to help firefighters maintain necessary certifications and a $1,200 stipend to encourage engineers and lieutenants who hold paramedic licenses to serve on advanced life support vehicles.
Arlington Heights Mayor Jim Tinaglia credited village staff and the union for using an interest based bargaining process to ensure the contract negotiations went as smoothly as possible, a sentiment that was echoed by Local 3105 President Drew Hansen. “That process has stood up the test of time through different leadership changes,” Hansen said. “What that represents to the citizens in Arlington Heights is a large cost savings and a huge positive working relationship between labor and management. It really is the foundation of how we operate.”
At least some of the firefighters covered by the new contract will eventually be working on an all-new ambulance. The village board Tuesday authorized the vehicle purchase as part of its fleet replacement schedule, which calls for the replacement of six ambulances over a five-year period and the addition of a seventh ambulance. The new ambulance will be provided by North Central Emergency Vehicles, of Plainfield, at a cost not to exceed $487,867. The vehicle is expected to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2028 or early 2029, and payment will not occur until that time.
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