This story has been updated to add additional information.
OSHKOSH – Local firefighters finally have their deal.
After working for about 20 months without a contract, the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 316 union appears to have reached a tentative agreement with the city of Oshkosh on a new labor deal that runs until 2026.
Emails and calls to Oshkosh City Manager Rebecca Grill and union representatives were not immediately returned to the Northwestern, but a copy of the agreement was attached within a resolution ahead of the Sept. 23 council meeting.
“We’re excited to have this agreement in place, both management and labor, and we look forward to having a good relationship moving forward,” newly promoted Oshkosh Fire Department Chief Tim Heiman told the Northwestern.
“We’ve been able to work together to get this agreement done because our priority has always been serving the community.”
The city was never under the threat of a work stoppage, as Wisconsin state law prohibits public safety employees like firefighters from striking as part of the state’s Municipal Employment Relations Act.
The three-year agreement provides salary increases for 2024, 2025 and 2026.
The agreement runs for three years and seems to be backdated to 2024, providing wage increases of 3.5% for last year and further 4.25% pay raises for both 2025 and 2026.
Along with the increases, the agreement shows the union proposed a 48/96 work schedule, which would see firefighters working two consecutive 24-hour shifts followed by four successive off days.
While addressing that Sep. 23 council meeting, Heiman told Mayor Matt Mugerauer that studies showed the 48/96 shift helps with faster recovery times and the mental health of firefighters.
“Another huge advantage of the change in shift is just family time for our employees,” said Heiman. “The other big thing is it helps with recruiting. The 48/96 shift is what a lot of newer people are looking for.”
Local 316 also proposed incorporating mandatory overtime language and full compensation at the higher classification for personnel assigned to that classification for at least 12 hours in a shift.
As part of the agreement, the union withdrew a number of pending grievances surrounding fire company vacancy, Neenah Flashover training, the ambulance build spec committee, and the research and development and recruitment committee.
The city also opted not to reject proposals over continuous hours worked, training opportunities, sick leave and the temporary assignment of equipment operators.
Oshkosh is looking at a joint fire service with Algoma amid staffing challenges.
Oshkosh is exploring a joint fire service with the town of Algoma to address staffing challenges at the Oshkosh Fire Department.
The department currently employs around 110 staff members at six stations, with three firefighters assigned to one of seven fire suppression units.
“I think having this agreement in place definitely provides some sort of certainty for prospective employees and will give us some more bargaining power in terms of recruitment,” Heiman said.
The decision came just months after the city ended its near 20-year Emergency Medical Services contract with Algoma and nine other neighboring municipalities.
At the time, Grill expressed fears the city couldn’t respond quickly to an emergency inside the city limits when crews had to leave Oshkosh.
Grill said the city was unsuccessful trying to hire an additional eight staff members to man a fourth ambulance.
But Oshkosh has now entered a one-year ambulance service agreement with Algoma for 2026.
Contact Justin Marville at jmarville@gannett.com and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @justinmarville.
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Oshkosh reaches tentative 3-year labor deal with firefighters’ union, backdated to 2024
Reporting by Justin Marville, Oshkosh Northwestern / Oshkosh Northwestern
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