Dear Friend --

This Tuesday, the City Council will vote on the City’s recent, tentative three-year agreement with the Long Beach Firefighters Association (LBFFA). This agreement is fiscally sound, fair to our firefighters, and promises to improve productivity and enhance skill levels, and it deserves Council’s approval.

Long Beach Firefighters overwhelmingly approved the proposed contract terms with 100% of the membership voting in favor of the agreement. It provides a gradual raise, and opens the door for pension reform discussions.

And like our Police Officer contract, it offers additional parental leave for new parents and increased compensation for bilingual employees who assist residents with limited English proficiency.

Maintaining an outstanding fire department is among the most crucial services any great city provides, and Long Beach has long had one of the finest fire departments in the country. This contract will allow us to retain the top firefighters and attract excellent new recruits.

I want to thank the LBFFA leadership and all the members for their dedication to keeping Long Beach safe, even at risk to their own safety, and for their good faith participation in the negotiation process. Our firefighters and all city employees deserve fair compensation for their labor and their public service.

I also want to thank our city team for their hard work at the negotiating table, ensuring a fair deal for all.

As Mayor, I’m committed to keeping the city safe, ensuring good jobs for city employees, and always maintaining fiscal responsibility. The new agreement with our firefighters accomplishes all these goals and I’m looking forward to the Council’s decision on Tuesday.

Go Long Beach!

Mayor Robert Garcia