neumatic Counterbalanced Valve,Balanced Control Valve,Hydraulic Balanced Valve, Balanced Bellows Valve Jiangsu Xibang Hydraulic Machinery Co.,Ltd , https://www.xibanghydraulic.com
A recent blog post on Politics Early & Often, part of the Sun-Times network, highlights how Chicago managed to pay its firefighters their overdue wages without dipping into its already substantial debt pool. The agreement involves a five-year deal that grants firefighters and paramedics over $20 million in back pay while avoiding any new borrowing. Instead, the funds come from existing reserves allocated within the city's budget.
City officials emphasized that this amount would not rely on borrowed funds, despite earlier concerns expressed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel about the city's liquidity. Earlier this year, the mayor had urged the City Council to double its short-term borrowing capacity through commercial paper programs, stating that these measures were crucial for handling unexpected expenses like retroactive wage payments. However, this particular obligation appears to have been comfortably covered by current financial resources.
Under the new contract, firefighters and paramedics will receive an 11% pay increase over five years. Staffing levels will remain steady, but there will be a shift towards enhancing ambulance services by upgrading all 15 basic-life-support (BLS) ambulances to advanced-life-support (ALS) units. This move aims to eliminate the two-tier system criticized by many paramedics as ineffective, thus equipping Chicago with 75 fully capable ALS ambulances. Additionally, this change frees up around 30 firefighter positions since BLS ambulances typically require two firefighter-EMTs per vehicle. The city plans to recruit additional paramedics, with estimates ranging between 50 and 200 new hires.
According to insiders, this adjustment effectively circumvents certain staffing requirements stipulated by regulations, allowing more personnel to be available within fire stations. One knowledgeable source described it as a "win-win" situation, noting improvements in operational flexibility and manpower availability. Furthermore, the agreement establishes a six-member oversight committee—three members appointed by the mayor and three selected by the Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2—to evaluate the necessity of deploying extra ambulances. According to Alderman Nick Sposato (36th Ward), a former firefighter himself, the committee intends to explore the potential deployment of five more ambulances by 2016. He explained that the previous BLS program often necessitated upgrading to ALS levels during emergencies, leading to unnecessary risks when lower-tier vehicles were dispatched. Thus, prioritizing ALS responses seems prudent to ensure optimal patient care.
Mayor Emanuel's administration also expressed optimism regarding achieving the broader goal of increasing the fleet size to 80 ambulances. A senior aide confirmed that this expansion aligns with both the commissioner’s vision and union priorities. While the agreement does introduce some concessions, such as requiring retirees aged 55–59 to contribute 2% toward post-retirement healthcare costs, other sought-after reforms were not achieved. These included adjustments to holiday pay, duty availability compensation, clothing allowances, premium rates, non-duty coverage policies, fitness incentives, and cross-training premiums. Additionally, proposals to restructure engine-truck staffing configurations from ten to nine members per unit were rejected.
Despite these limitations, the mayor framed this settlement as a strategic compromise designed to foster cooperation rather than confrontation. His administration hopes this collaborative approach will pave the way for meaningful pension reforms ahead. Looking forward, Chicago faces a significant legal obligation next year to contribute $600 million toward stabilizing its police and fire pension systems, which currently stand at just 30.5% and 25% funded respectively. To alleviate immediate fiscal pressures, Emanuel advocates delaying this mandatory payment until 2023 while pursuing legislative changes alongside union leaders. Sources close to negotiations cautioned against pushing harder on contentious issues like staffing ratios or fringe benefits, warning that doing so might trigger binding arbitration rulings unfavorable to the city. Consequently, settling for less ambitious terms now seemed preferable to risking worse outcomes later.
June 07, 2025