EVANSVILLE — A new three-year contract for city firefighters will bring a hefty pay increase in 2025.
Evansville City Council members unanimously approved a resolution ratifying the new agreement between the city and the International Association of Firefighters Local No. 357 to bring 7% raises for employees next year. The contract also includes 4% raises in 2026 and 2027.
This directly mirrors the contract approved in late October for the Evansville Police Department.
The contract begins Jan. 1, 2025, and ends Dec. 31, 2027.
Local 357 President Larry Zuber said EFD has lost members to other fire departments and corporate jobs in recent years. Some didn’t even make it through training.
“That is counterproductive in our line of work when you put so much time and effort into training an individual, outfitting them, uniforms, equipment,” Zuber said. “And three years later, six months later, before their probation is up, in training, they leave and we have to start all over again.”
Zuber said this contract put EFD on a level playing field across the state with comparable departments and makes them “top dogs in the region.”
“The vote we had from our membership is something I haven’t seen in 13 years as union president, and longer than that as an executive board member,” he said. “Over 99% passing on this contract vote.”
The contract offers an advantage to attracting the best candidates for positions, Zuber said, and retain them.
“I appreciate Mayor Terry placing the value on public safety, and especially Evansville’s bravest, the men and women of the Evansville Fire Department,” he said. “…You’re going to get a return on that. Our membership, the fire department people, we’re second to none in the state of Indiana and across the whole country.”
The base annual salary for a firefighter will be $67,434 in 2025. A firefighter still in their probationary period will make $64,434.
Base pay for other ranks starting in 2025:
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Inspector/Investigator: $78,655
With the 4% raises in 2026 and 2027, a firefighter will have a base salary of $72,936 by the end of the contract’s life.
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Evansville firefighters to get big raise in 2025 under new contract