Union chief: Worcester firefighters reach contract agreement with city

WORCESTER ― The city and the union representing its firefighters have agreed to a three-year contract, according to District Fire Chief William Mosley, president of the Worcester Firefighters International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1009.

“We ratified the contract with the membership and it will move on to the City Council for funding, hopefully sometime soon,” Mosley said.

He said it was a three-year contract but declined to reveal further details.

The union's previous contract expired June 30, 2023.

Local 1009 sent its first notice for successor bargaining April 2023.

In December, Local 1009 filed for arbitration with the Joint Labor Management Committee, triggering the collective bargaining process for a successor contract.

“We’re grateful working with the city manager. It was a long process but he was willing to roll up his sleeves and get it done,” Mosley said. “We did end filing for arbitration but to avoid that, the manager and his team and the union, our team was able to really to make a lot of progress in the last couple of months.

Mosley said he doesn’t know when the contract will make the City Council’s agenda.

“We are pleased with the outcome,” Mosley said.

The T&G has reached out to a city spokesperson for comment.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester firefighter contract agreement reached, union leader says