The Taos, New Mexico, Town Council voted unanimously last month to ratify Local 5245’s contract, the union’s first.
“We are very pleased to have reached an agreement with the town,” Local 5245 President Gabriel Romero said. “The negotiations process was tough, but I think we accomplished our primary goals, which included setting foundational contract language and a wage increase.”
The road to success was a long one.
Local 5245 organized in 2020 so members could have a voice in decisions about the department’s future. Getting their first contract was a priority, but Local 5245 had to begin with building a labor-management relationship.
The Taos Fire Department was formed in 1933 as a volunteer department. Slowly, the department has added professional fire fighters. It is now a combination department with 12 full-time fire fighters represented by Local 5245.
“The concept of a union and negotiating contracts of this size and scope were relatively new to some town officials,” Romero said. “We couldn’t jump into negotiations until we met with town officials to lay the groundwork.”
10th District Vice President Stephen Gilman sent Field Service Representative Justin Cheney to assist once the two sides were ready to negotiate in 2023.
Preparation for negotiations included assistance from the IAFF with a salary analysis that showed Taos fire fighters were being paid 14 percent below market value.
The town balked at wage increases and some of Local 5245’s other priorities. Therefore, negotiations came to an impasse, triggering the mediation process.
Finally, an agreement was reached. It includes a 22 percent wage increase, a structured pay scale, a 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), and some foundational language.
“This is the culmination of a lot of hard work by the local’s leadership and a textbook case of what is possible when locals use the IAFF resources that are available to them,” Gilman said. “I congratulate Local 5245 on a very hard-fought win.”
