California state firefighters will receive substantial raises of up to 13.8 percent this year, according to newly released details from a proposed contract that their union negotiated just before Christmas.
The big pay raises have two objectives: Slowing turnover among mid-career firefighters and reducing wage compaction, a term that refers to shrinking gaps between salaries for entry-level firefighters and more experienced ones.
Take-home pay for beginning firefighters has climbed steadily because of the state’s adoption of a higher minimum wage, while pay for their supervisors has stagnated. “Two years ago our (entry-level firefighters) were making $8 an hour,” Cal Fire Local 2881 President Mike Lopez said. They’ll make $10.50 an hour this year.