City and Fire Union Remain Divided on Wages Despite Negotiation Progress

Despite a recent $10 million adjustment by the City of San Antonio in ongoing contract negotiations with the firefighters union, significant disparities persist in their respective wage proposals. Following the 11th meeting between the parties, negotiations resumed this week after a two-month hiatus, showing signs of cautious optimism tempered by remaining challenges.

The city, still in the process of refining cost estimates for the union’s latest proposal, faces a substantial $68 million gap primarily attributable to differing wage expectations. While the city has marginally increased its wage offer, tensions arose particularly over proposed changes affecting overtime compensation for approximately 1,800 union members.

Lead negotiator Richard Poulson of the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association acknowledged the fluctuating dynamics typical of negotiations, expressing a renewed sense of optimism moving forward.

Deputy City Manager María Villagómez, also leading negotiations, highlighted recent progress but underscored that significant disparities in wage proposals persist. The city aims to reach a tentative agreement with the union by the end of July to streamline budget discussions slated for August and a subsequent council vote in September. This preemptive move seeks to mitigate potential impacts on the fiscal year 2025 budget planning, which could otherwise face significant cuts.

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In its latest offer, the city has proposed a 5% raise for firefighters and paramedics in 2025, up from the previous 4%, alongside an increase in the annual uniform allowance. These adjustments elevate the estimated total cost of the city’s three-year proposal to approximately $81.8 million, up from $72.4 million just a day earlier. In comparison, the original five-year proposal would have cost $62.3 million for the first three years.

Conversely, the union’s earlier three-year proposal, initially estimated at around $200 million, has undergone revisions reducing costs by over $50 million in its latest iteration, according to union estimates.

As negotiations proceed, both sides remain focused on bridging the substantial wage gap while navigating complex budgetary implications and the broader impact on public safety operations in San Antonio.