Clark County considers 2% pay hike for firefighters

Clark County firefighters would get a 2 percent cost-of-living increase under a proposed collective bargaining agreement with the county.

The increase would cover the fiscal year that starts July 1, under the terms of the proposed one-year agreement with the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1908.

County commissioners will vote on the contract Tuesday.

The increase, which would apply to 707 Fire Department employees, would cost the county an additional $2.38 million. That averages out to an additional $3,360 per year for each employee in the group, with includes firefighters and paramedics.

The union has already ratified the tentative agreement.

“We’d like to thank all involved in the negotiations for making this happen, the Clark County Firefighters have a great working relationship with the County and we’re happy with this latest agreement,” Ryan Beaman, president of the firefighters union, said in a statement Wednesday.

County firefighters handled more than 150,000 calls in 2014, making it the busiest fire agency — per employee — in the nation, Beaman said.

The 2 percent raise mirrors what other county employee groups have received. The county in April approved 2 percent raises for juvenile justice supervisors.

The county on Tuesday will also make a decision on a proposal to give a 2 percent cost-of-living increase to 149 county attorneys represented by the Clark County Prosecutors Association. That has an added cost of $447,497, or $3,003 per employee.

Currently, county firefighters who have finished their academy training earn an annual salary with a range of $49,533 to $52,503, according to the county’s human resources website. These figures don’t include overtime or call-back pay. The pay for firefighters in the city of Las Vegas who have finished their academy training starts at $49,294 annually.

Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2904. Find him on Twitter: @BenBotkin1.