St. Catharines, Ont. (163 firefighters and support staff) and the St. Catharines Professional Fire Fighters’ Association
Renewal agreement: Effective Jan. 1, 2019 to Dec. 31, 2023. Ratified in May 2019. Signed on Aug. 13, 2019.
Wage adjustments:
Effective Jan. 1, 2019: 1%
Effective July 1, 2020: 1% (2.3% for 2019)
Effective: Jan. 1, 2020: 1%
Effective: July 1, 2020: 1% (1.9% for 2020)
Effective Jan. 1, 2021: 1%
Effective July 1, 2021: 1% (1.9% for 2021)
Effective Jan. 1, 2022: 1%
Effective July 1, 2022: 1% (1.7% for 2022)
Effective Jan. 1, 2023: 1%
Effective July 1, 2023: 1% (1.6% for 2023)
Paid holidays: 13 days.
Vacations with pay: 2 weeks after 1 year, 3 weeks after 4 years, 4 weeks after 10 years, 5 weeks after 18 years, 6 weeks after 25 years.
Overtime: Time and one-half for employees remaining on duty past regular shift relief time.
Medical benefits: Employer pays 100% of premiums for Green Shield Plan
Dental: Employer pays 50% of premiums, employee pays 50% of premiums for Green Shield Dental Plan. Maximum $4,000 for complete or partial dentures and adjustments; $5,000 for orthodontic services; $4,000 for crowning, capping, bridgework.
Vision: Green Shield Vision Benefit. Effective Jan. 1, 2020: $425 every 24 months; effective Jan. 1, 2021: $450 every 24 months; effective Jan. 1, 2022: $475 every 24 months; effective Jan. 1, 2023: $500 every 24 months. Eye examinations, performed by registered, licensed optometrist or physician, maximum 1 exam every 24 months, maximum cost of $60.
Paramedical: Effective Jan. 1, 2020: $600 every 12 months (previously $550 every 12 months); effective Jan. 1, 2021: $650 every 12 months; effective Jan. 1, 2022: $700 every 12 months; effective Jan. 1, 2023: $750 every 12 months. For physiotherapist (services of licensed physiotherapist), massage therapist (services of licensed registered massage therapist), chiropractor, naturopath, speech therapist.
Sick leave: 1 1/2 days’ credit for each month of unbroken service, maximum 360 days.
AD&D: Employer pays 100% of premiums for coverage of 2 times basic annual salary.
Life insurance: Employer pays 100% of premiums for coverage of 2 times basic annual salary.
Pension: Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement Board.
Bereavement leave: Suppression employees: Up to 2 24-hour shifts for death of spouse, child, step-child, or parent. Up to 1 24-hour shift for death of sibling, parent-in-law, child-in-law, grandchild. Non-suppression employees: Up to 4 consecutive days for death of spouse, child, stepchild. Up to 3 consecutive days for death of parent, stepparent, sibling, parent-in-law, child-in-law, grandchild. Up to 1 day to attend funeral of sibling-in-law, grandparent, grandparent-in-law, aunt, uncle. Additional leave may be given upon request.
Seniority – recall rights: 12 months (communications or prevention with less than 2 years of service), 18 months (suppression or training division with less than 3 years of service and communications or prevention with 2 or more years of service), 36 months (suppression or training division with 3 or more years of service)
Call-in pay: Time and one-half for minimum of 3 hours. Time and one-half for employees requested to work by employer.
Probationary period: 12 months for all promotions.
Discipline: Sunset clause is 24 months for any letter of warning for inadequate performance, tardiness, non-attendance, other disciplinary matter.
Severance: 2 weeks’ salary for each year of service, maximum 26 weeks.
Safety shoes: $100 per year for CSA-approved safety footwear.
Uniforms/clothing: Clothing issued annually on as-needed basis. Protective clothing for firefighting duty provided (1 helmet, protective coat, protective bunker pants, protective gloves).
Sample rates of pay (current, after increases):
Platoon chief/chief fire prevention officer/chief communications officer: $129,603.50 rising 5 steps to $137,580.37
Assistant platoon chief/assistant chief fire prevention officer: $123,480.50 rising 5 steps to $131,080.51
Captain: $118,378 rising 5 steps to $125,663.96
Firefighter/inspector/communications technician first-class: $102,050 rising 5 steps to $108,331
Firefighter/inspector/communications technician second-class/communicator First-class: $91,845 rising 5 steps to $97,497.90
Firefighter/inspector/communications technician third-class: $81,640 rising 5 steps to $86,664.80
Firefighter/inspector/communications inspector fourth-class: $73,476 rising 5 steps to $77,998.32
Probationary firefighter/inspector/communications technician: $66,332.50 rising 5 steps to $70,415.15
Senior inspector: $110,214 rising 5 steps to $116,997.48
Communications coordinator: $107,152.50 rising 5 steps to $113,747.55
Communicator second-class: $86.742.50 rising 5 steps to $92,081.35
Communicator third-class: $79,599 rising 5 steps to $84,498.18
Communicator fourth-class: $74,496.50 rising 5 steps to $79,081.63
Probationary communicator: $68,373.50 rising 5 steps to $72,581.77
Editor’s notes: Shift schedules: Compressed 24-hour shift schedule for fire-suppression employees. Any 24-hour period on duty must be followed by minimum of 20 hours off-duty. Recognition pay: 3% after 8 years of service, 6% after 17 years of service, 9% after 23 years of service. Physicals: Each firefighter to have complete physical examination every 18 months, covered by employer. Pregnancy/parental leave: Top-up of EI benefits of 75% of regular earnings for up to 25 weeks (15 weeks pregnancy leave and 10 weeks parental leave). Sick-leave gratuity: One-half of sick leave credit at rate of employee’s daily wage at time of retirement, death, termination, maximum 6 months’ earnings. Medical certificate: If employer requires employee to produce medical certificate, employer will reimburse, maximum $50, for certificate. Hearing aids: Maximum $500 per year.
