Fire Department signs contract

After 11 months of negotiations, the Weston Fire Department has a new contract.

Assistant Town Manager Lisa Yanakakis said changes to the contract include a management rights clause, which enumerates management’s right to hire and make other employment decisions and regulations, and added the concept of modified duty, which allows for employees to work in an altered capacity. If an employee is injured, but still deemed capable of doing fire prevention or office duties, they can be allowed to do so.

“They can come in and do that kind of work, so it keeps them connected to the workplace instead of keeping them off on their own,” Yanakakis said.

Yanakakis said the new contract also expanded education incentive pay. In the next year, employees with an associate’s degree, a bachelor’s or a master’s in fire science technology, fire rescue services or emergency management will get pay increases at 5% of base pay, 7% and 9% respectively. In addition to the pay increase, employees with other degrees may be eligible for a pay increase if the town manager and fire chief agree that the field of study is relevant to the job.

Employees will see a retroactive boost of 2.5% in their cost-of-living adjustments from July. As of July this year, the increase goes up to 3%, and there is a final raise to 3.5% in 2027.

The Weston Firefighters’ Association did not respond to requests for comment.

The Weston Police Department’s contract is currently under mediation.