Buffalo – Today, Mayor Byron W. Brown announced the City of Buffalo has entered into a new contract with
the Buffalo Professional Firefighters Association, Local 282. This afternoon, the Buffalo Common Council
approved a Tentative Agreement, following ratification of the contract by Local 282 on October 12, 2018.
The new eight-year contract, effective July 1, 2017 and lasting through June 30, 2025, provides Local 282
members with raises averaging 3.3 percent and is projected to save the City of Buffalo $32 million.
“This agreement with members of Local 282 is the result of long, productive negotiations, and represents my
continued commitment to prudent fiscal management,” stated Mayor Brown. “The outstanding members
of the Buffalo Fire Department keep our City safe every day, and I am grateful to them for ratifying a
contract that provides budget certainty until 2025, with an annual increase of less than 1 percent of the
overall City budget, as well as millions of dollars in savings over the course of the contract.”
Buffalo Common Council President Darius Pridgen stated, “This is a great deal and I thank everyone
involved, from Mayor Brown to the leadership of Local 282, for working together on a mutually beneficial
agreement that is both fiscally sound and enhances the safety of firefighters, as well as the safety of Buffalo
residents.”
Under the new deal, Local 282 will see their maximum base salary jump to $86,666 from $68, 461 under a new
9-step salary schedule that will replace the current 13-step schedule. The new contract projects savings of:
• $6.3 million from a generic prescription drug mandate on all new prescriptions
• $2.4 million from the reduction of sick time to 8 hours per month from 9 hours for each employee
• $9.4 million by encouraging employees who are currently on long-term “injured on duty” status and
unable to work to retire with a service disability pension
• $2.7 million by giving light-duty tasks to union members who are on “injured on duty” status but have
been medically cleared to handle functions like delivering air tanks and fire extinguishers or sweeping,
mopping and washing dishes; such staffing will be used to manage overtime
• $4.2 million in annual retirements and $1.4 million in a variety of other changes
Fire Commissioner William Renaldo stated, “The nice thing about this long term deal is that it gives us
organizational stability and the opportunity to think and act more strategically over the span of the eight
year deal.”
Local 282 President Vincent Ventresca stated, “I look forward to getting down to business to make the
Buffalo Fire Department even better, and I’m confident that’s where we’re headed.”
Mayor Brown concluded, “This contract is another great example of how effective labor negotiations can
provide the City with long term fiscal stability and certainty, while also achieving meaningful reforms that
will improve City services well into the future.”