Schaumburg OKs new contract with firefighters

Schaumburg firefighters have agreed to a retroactive three-year contract that would offer no wage increases during its only remaining year that begins May 1.

The offer of no pay raises comes in exchange for a negotiated guarantee of no firefighter layoffs through April 30, 2011.

The terms of the new contract begin retroactively on May 1, 2008 with 3.5 percent wage increases from the year before.

The starting salary for firefighter/paramedics in the first year of the contract is $49,836 and for lieutenants $75,709.

The second year of the contract, beginning on May 1, 2009, brings another 3.5 percent raise across the board. Starting salaries for this year are $51,580 for firefighter/paramedics and $78,939.

The terms of the year beginning May 1, 2010, will be exactly the same as the current year, though employees may still see pay raises if their experience level takes them from one step in the contract to another.

The new contract covers firefighter/paramedics and lieutenants, not employees holding the ranks of captain and above.