Quincy first responders get 3 percent raise; contract negotiations continue

QUINCY – The city's police and firefighters got a 3 percent pay raise this month after city officials and three unions representing Quincy's first responders agreed to an interim contract.

The Quincy Firefighters Association Local 792, the Quincy Police Patrol Officers Association and the Quincy Police Superior Officers Association all agreed to the contract, which covers the fiscal year that started Thursday and the prior fiscal year. The unions agreed to no raises for fiscal 2021, which ended Wednesday.

“It was a tough, dangerous year for our members, who showed up every single day on behalf of Quincy’s residents during the pandemic," firefighter Thomas Bowes, president of Local 792, said in a statement. "The members understood that the mayor had our back throughout the crisis, and this agreement shows they were ready to similarly step up to protect the financial health of the city.”

“The Quincy Police Superior Officers Association believes this is a fair, good-faith agreement that recognizes the challenges of the past year while moving us forward at the same time,"  police Capt. Richard McCusker, president of the union, said in a statement. "We are eager to continuing the open dialogue and productive working relationship with Mayor Koch and his team on the successor three-year contract."

Mayor Thomas Koch's administration and the unions will now begin negotiations for a three-year contract. 

In a news release this week, Koch said he was grateful to the men and women who serve on the police and fire departments.

“This agreement achieves two goals: It provides a real wage increase they deserve while at the same time reflects the very difficult previous year in which our primary goal was to ensure that we protected core services and our workforce – which we were able to do across the board," he said. 

Original Source: https://www.patriotledger.com/story/news/2021/07/01/contract-negotiations-ongoing-between-quincy-first-responders-unions/7830644002/