Provincial arbitrator imposes new two-year contract on city and firefighters’ union
Jason G. Antonio - For the MJ Independent
A provincial arbitration board has ruled on a collective bargaining dispute between city hall and its firefighters’ union, with the board imposing a new contract term length and salary increases.
The latest collective agreement between the City of Moose Jaw and the Moose Jaw Fire Fighters Association expired on Dec. 31, 2021, which led to bargaining throughout 2023 and the need for a mediator later that year, the board’s report said.
Mediation failed, so, in January 2025, the two groups hired an interest arbitration board comprised of professional arbitrator James T. Casey and a representative from each group, the report continued. Hearings were held in late 2025, while the board issued its final ruling in mid-March.
Writing for the board, Casey ruled that the term of the new collective agreement would be from Jan. 1, 2022, to Dec. 31, 2023; that the salaries would increase by three per cent each year; the payments would be retroactive; and a new clause would permit either party to serve notice to commence bargaining within 30 days of the board’s decision — so roughly mid-April.
However, Casey declined to adopt the association’s proposals about banning contracted-out firefighting work and adding health, dental and parental leave benefits.
In response to Casey’s overall decision, the city’s and association’s board representatives issued dissenting opinions, with both opposed to the proposed wage increases.
Observation
“While interest arbitration has many advantages, it is well-recognized in labour relations that one of the disadvantages of the … process is that it may cause the parties’ collective bargaining ‘muscles’ to become atrophied,” Casey wrote.
Continuing, the arbitrator said that instead of compromising during difficult bargaining sessions and arriving at agreeable resolutions, parties can become reliant on interest arbitration to avoid strikes or lockouts. So, he encouraged both parties to discuss how to “mutually reinvigorate” their collective bargaining processes since an agreed-upon contract is “a superior outcome” than what a third party imposes.
According to the report, from 2002 to 2026, both parties resorted to interest arbitration six times and arrived at agreements through bargaining twice.
Issues and positions
The report compared the positions the firefighting association and the city took on various issues:
Term length: The association was OK with two years, but based on the new Moose Jaw Police Service agreement, thought three years could work; the city wanted three years but could live with two
Wages: The association wanted 2.95 per cent in 2022 and 5.4 per cent in 2023, while it wanted 4.5 per cent in 2024 if the board imposed a three-year agreement; the city suggested, respectively, 1.95 per cent, 2.9 per cent and 1.75 per cent
Retroactivity: The association wanted the city to make retroactive payments within 45 days; the city suggested 60 days, which the association supported
Contracting out: The association wanted to add a clause that prohibited contracting out firefighting work; the city opposed the proposal
Health and dental benefits: The association wanted an increase in city payments to 2.5 per cent from two per cent; the city disagreed
Parental leave benefits: The association wanted this added, similar to the police collective agreement; the city was opposed
Notice to commence bargaining: The association wanted a clause allowing either party to give notice about starting bargaining 30 days after the board’s decision; the city concurred
One reason the city requested a three-year contract is that it wanted “a period of labour stability” after years of arbitrations and negotiations with the association, Casey wrote. However, whether the board imposed a two-year or three-year agreement, the fact was that within 30 days of the decision, either party could give notice to commence bargaining, returning both groups to the negotiation process.
Arguments for salary increases
The association argued that wages should increase to achieve fairness, parity with comparable cities and recognition of increased job risks, while it believed there was no valid financial reason to limit increases, the board report said. In particular, the union wanted to close the wage gap with Prince Albert Fire and Moose Jaw police.
Also, the union said the wage gap difference between it and the police service was five per cent, so its salary proposal would close that gap to about three per cent, Casey noted. The association also argued that the city’s finances and economy between 2022 and 2023 were strong, so the city could pay more.
Data in the report showed that, in 2017, first-class salaries were $87,962 for Moose Jaw firefighters, $91,424 for P.A. firefighters and $94,710 for Moose Jaw police. In 2023, those numbers were, respectively, $104,571, $105,948, and $108,996.
Meanwhile, the city argued for modest, consistent increases that preserved the historical pay-gap relationship — usually 87 per cent to 94 per cent — with the police, while it rejected the association’s push for pay parity as unjustified, excessive and inconsistent with past practices, the board report said.
The city agreed that firefighters’ raises should track police increases, but not exceed them or reach parity, while it pointed out that firefighters already receive extra pay from statutory holidays, and including that pay could exceed what police are paid, the document continued.
The city also argued that the association’s comparison to Prince Albert was flawed since the latter’s union received unique concessions like sick leave; the association ignored past arbitration decisions; current wages reflect the dangers of the job; and that current economic uncertainties like tariffs should be considered, the report added.
Casey said he agreed with the city that the historical variance was “a very important consideration,” but didn’t think the variance should “serve as a ‘straitjacket’” when other factors made it fair and reasonable to adjust the percentage differences.
Continuing, the senior arbitrator pointed out that the 1.7-per-cent increase in the Consumer Price Index from 2022 to 2023 meant firefighters’ “real spending power” would have eroded by that amount, while the city’s wage proposals were “somewhat low.” So, he thought the firefighters’ wages should be positioned just below those of Prince Albert and the police.
Other benefits
Casey also wrote that the association’s fear of the city contracting out the work had no factual basis to support that assertion, the report added. Also, he said that if the association wanted health, dental and parental leave benefits, it should discuss those issues during negotiations and acquire them then.